“Mother Russia!”
While this exact sentence may not have rang out in David Cameron’s office today upon learning of a Tweet sent by Russia’s UK ambassador, Alexander Yakovenko, you can bet there might have been one which sounded a lot like it.
In a single Tweet sent directly to Jeremy Corbyn, but also made public with a well placed full stop, Yakovenko said:
.@jeremycorbyn Sending you by courier Russian data you requested yesterday in Parliament on who benefits from ISIL oil trade
Managing not only show support for the beleaguered Labour chief on his stance against military action in Syria, and even having another dig at David Cameron, the triple zinger also took aim at Turkey, responsible for recently downing a Russian jet and (allegedly) doing an oil deal with ISIS.
Three direct hits via social media, as opposed to rubble-strewn oil fields.
To make matters worse for Cameron and co., the message was Retweeted by @Russian Embassy, marking the latest in a string of incidents in which the official account for Russian's UK Embassy has trolled the UK government. Most famously following @CameronPig in the wake of #piggate.
And given Corbyn spent Wednesday mostly slumped on the Commons frontbenchers with a permanent grimace such was his own unpopularity among party members, the man may just have enjoyed this unexpected message of support.
Just don't expect him to 'RT' it anytime soon.
