World-renowned theoretical physicist Stephen Hawking has called for Jeremy Corbyn to step down as leader of the Labour party, saying he regards him as a “disaster”.
Speaking to The Times, Hawking – a Labour supporter – said: “I regard Corbyn as a disaster. His heart is in the right place and many of his policies are sound but he has allowed himself to be portrayed as a left-wing extremist.
“I think he should step down for the sake of the party,” said the 75-year-old.
Faced with a man famed for being one of the smartest on the planet Twitter users felt there was only one way to contest his opinion – insult his intelligence.
Stephen Hawking says Corbyn should step down. Pah! What does that guy know about anything…
— (((Dan Hodges))) (@DPJHodges) March 7, 2017
Note Stephen Hawking has called on Jez to stand down. Don't worry, Corbynistas, it's not like he's a clever bloke or anything….
— John Harrison (@Purfleetjohn) March 7, 2017
Okay, there may have been a hint of sarcasm there. Some did try to make jokes about the physicist though – whose work on understanding black holes caused a form of radiation to be named after him.
Stephen Hawking says Jeremy Corbyn is a disaster, there's a joke here somewhere about Labour and black holes?
— I, Slartibartfast (@Slarty247) March 7, 2017
Nearly there mate…
Labour is officially heading into a black hole… #stephenhawking
— SerenaKutchinsky (@SKutchinsky) March 7, 2017
Stephen Hawking calls Jeremy Corbyn "a supermassive black hole from which nothing, not even light, can escape". Or words to that effect.
— ChrisH (@Moviebore) March 7, 2017
The @UKLabour leader will feature in the new Stephen Hawking's book, A Brief History of Corbyn.
— Jason Medea (@GotALightBoy) March 7, 2017
There you go.Meanwhile, others reckon there could be a scientist showdown on the cards.
Doesn't Prof Brian Cox support Corbyn? Does Stephen Hawking know? Is it gonna kick off?!
— Rachel (@racybearhold) March 7, 2017
Or perhaps a bust up with Corbyn is more likely?
Stephen Hawking outta nowhere #JeremyCorbyn pic.twitter.com/wWrtLD2xHa
— Christian (@ccwbarry) March 7, 2017
While others thought people should listen to Hawking about science and not politics.
Doesn't make Stephen Hawking any less intelligent. I just don't know why you'd go to him for political theory & ideology.
— Congolesa Rice (@judeinlondon) March 7, 2017
It’s not the first time the professor has made his political views known – he called President Donald Trump a “demagogue, who seems to appeal to the lowest common denominator” last year in an interview on ITV. A year earlier, in 2015, Hawking voiced his support of former Labour leader Ed Miliband – praising his apparent support for government science funding.
