Christoph Waltz Getty H 2016
Getty ImagesAt first, it was the result.
The U.K.’s somewhat unexpected vote on June 23 to leave the European Union sparked a flurry of outrage and disappointment from the entertainment industry far and wide, including Lindsay Lohan.
But more than 10 days later, and with the British future no clearer as top-tier politicians play out what at times has seemed like a live, extra-backstabby reenactment of House of Cards (with a splash of Game of Thrones), the anger hasn’t simmered. The focus early this week, however, has been on those who led the Brexit charge only to then step aside or away, appearing to leave others to sort out the situation they helped create.
On Friday, it was Boris Johnson, the flamboyant former London mayor seen as the main personality behind the “leave” result. After masterminding the campaign, a decision many commentators claimed was against his own beliefs and simply a tactical ploy to then replace David Cameron as prime minister, he found himself politically outmaneuvered by former allies in his own party and announced he wouldn’t be running in the leadership race.
Ewan McGregor’s tongue was arguably the sharpest as he took to Twitter to describe Johnson as a “spineless c––” in a message that was copied far and wide.
@BorisJohnson You spineless c$&t You lead this ludicrous campaign to leave EU. Win, and now fuc& off to let someone else clear up your mess.
— Ewan McGregor (@mcgregor_ewan) June 30, 2016
But the crosshairs again shifted after the weekend, this time to Nigel Farage, the outspoken leader of the Eurosceptic U.K. Independence Party, who has been pushing for the U.K. to exit the EU for years.
Singer Lily Allen began trolling the politician on Sunday, having spotted him and Rupert Murdoch at a garden party.
I’m at a garden party. Hope I’m not sitting next to Voldemort or Fromage. I might be sick pic.twitter.com/ILsuu6kDPM
— lily (@lilyallen) July 3, 2016
On Monday, however, Farage announced he would be stepping down as UKIP leader, saying that he “wanted his life back.” The news wasn’t exactly met with widespread applause.
“Of course the head rat would leave the sinking ship,” Christoph Waltz told Sky News, adding that he couldn’t comprehend the “abysmal stupidity” of the Brexit.
“It’s inevitable, they try to dress it up as a heroic exit…no, it’s conceding defeat, it’s putting the tail between their legs and, as rats do, leave the sinking ship,” he continued. “Leave the mess for others to clean up and retreat into some profitable other business. That shows you how despicable these people are — they can’t even stand up for what they caused.”
Elsewhere, there were less eloquent responses, with singer Charlotte Church top of the pile.
I want my fucking European Union back you piece of shit!!!!!! https://t.co/XKE65GkvqT
— Charlotte Church (@charlottechurch) July 4, 2016
Given that Farage had resigned from UKIP before only to reemerge a few days later, several observers, including Episodes star Stephen Mangan, didn’t think the U.K. had seen the last of him.
Farage is now hiding behind a pillar counting to a thousand before he comes out and says he’d like to be leader again.
— Stephen Mangan (@StephenMangan) July 4, 2016
Brexiteers Farage and Johnson may have gone – for now – but with the referendum and its ramifications still very much top of the agenda and unlikely to budge for some time, the outrage isn’t expected to die down any time soon.
