Twitter troll Jason Kenney creates turmoil on Twitter by celebrating Brexit result

It seems David Cameron wasn’t the only one to experience a self-inflicted blow last night.

In the early hours of Friday morning, following the results of the EU referendum and with the British Pound plummeting and global markets in turmoil, Conservative MP and human Twitter egg Jason Kenney tweeted his “congratulations to the British people.”

Kenney also declared the Brexit a triumph of “hope over fear.”

Congratulations to the British people on choosing hope over fear by embracing a confident, sovereign future, open to the world! #Brexit

— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) June 24, 2016

Given the highly xenophobic tone of the campaign and the prospects of devastating economic impacts that will be felt in Canada and around the world, hope and openness didn’t exactly capture the emotions most people were feeling.

And so, in the middle of the night, Jason Kenney began trending across Canada:

#JasonKenney on #Twitter #Canada #UnitedKingdom https://t.co/QcdArTOhGI pic.twitter.com/tVCGd0t19A

— Canadian Trends (@canadizer) June 24, 2016

Here are a few of the things people were saying:

I’m speechless… https://t.co/XNUbJD1ySx

— Thomas A. Lukaszuk (@LukaszukAB) June 24, 2016

This is remarkably ill-judged. https://t.co/5PtnrIVzzi

— Andrew Coyne (@acoyne) June 24, 2016

Two big Brexit surprises tonight on twitter: @lindsaylohan and @jkenney

— Stephen Maher (@stphnmaher) June 24, 2016

Maybe you could explain that to @jkenney? He seems to be reveling in the financial and social consequences. https://t.co/Vsfevo9out

— Stephen Carter (@carter_AB) June 24, 2016

Jason Kenney calls Brexit “choosing hope over fear” while rest of my feed loses its damn mind over xenophobes controlling fate of world

— Deborah Merriam (@DebMerriam) June 24, 2016

Jason Kenney is basically Canada’s greatest troll https://t.co/nJajyOpL0A

— Michael Stewart (@m_r_stewart) June 24, 2016

Kenney and the National Post’s John Ivison had a lively two-way discussion about Kenney’s admiration for “dog-whistle racism,” although Kenney replied that he merely respects the desire of the British people to be “unencumbered” by non-European migration: 

@ivisonj No, I respect the decision of the British people who will be unencumbered to pursue more global free trade & non-EU migration.

— Jason Kenney (@jkenney) June 24, 2016

Others, meanwhile, speculated on what this could all mean for Kenney’s own leadership ambitions:

Not shocked by @jkenney‘s Brexit support. But endorsing turmoil risky move when seeking to lead province that can ill afford more of it.

— Adam Radwanski (@aradwanski) June 24, 2016

Remember #PCAA, this could be your leader. Fear of immigration led to #Brexit and Kenney supports it. #ableg https://t.co/Kjp2Ru1Vl0

— David Benson (@DavidBensonAB) June 24, 2016

Albertans have largely ignored this man up to this point. This is who he is. Bizarre and reactionary. https://t.co/igWCDaMATo

— Richard Einarson (@richardeinarson) June 24, 2016

Kenney making a strong push for leader of UKIP tonight

— Ryan Muscat (@jryanmuscat) June 24, 2016

One thing we learned tonight: @jkenney is not interested in being prime minister of Canada.

— Stephen Maher (@stphnmaher) June 24, 2016

Although not everyone was entirely critical of Kenney.

Right-wing British politician Daniel Hannan, who once said he wouldn’t blame people for being “unsettled” by President Barack Obama’s “exotic background,” thanked Kenney for being a “true friend to Britain”:

Thank you, @jkenney, and thank you for your words during the campaign. You are a true friend to Britain.

— Daniel Hannan (@DanHannanMEP) June 24, 2016

Others noted this is not the first time Kenney has questionably applauded the British:

Jason Kenney, once again reaffirming his nostalgia for the British Empire. https://t.co/JtdcBhrsj7

— Stuart MacKay (@Mackay_Stuart) June 24, 2016

Reminder: Tonight’s not the first time Jason Kenney’s applauded the British… #ableg #cdnpoli #brexithttps://t.co/zPILjPvSdU

— PressProgress (@pressprogress) June 24, 2016