Tyrion Lannister's soulmate: Michael Gove under fire for Game Of Thrones tweet

Tory MP Michael Gove has left Twitter users incredulous after sharing results from an online quiz about TV show Game Of Thrones on his official Twitter account.
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

The tweet, sent at 11.20am on Wednesday, left many Twitter users asking why the Secretary of State for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was not using his account and his time for government business.

The official account for Brexit campaign group Leave.EU tweeted: “Brexit is being sold out and one of the few so-called Brexiteers left in Cabinet is pissing about on a Game Of Thrones quiz.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Pretty much sums up the total incompetence of this entire administration.”

Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Pic by John Stillwell/PA WireMichael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Pic by John Stillwell/PA Wire
Michael Gove, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. Pic by John Stillwell/PA Wire

“Meanwhile in other news...” wrote shadow secretary for education Angela Rayner, and Conservative MP Ed Vaizey simply tweeted an exclamation mark in reaction.

“I got Tyrion Lannister!” reads the link in Mr Gove’s tweet from the online quiz Who’s Your Game Of Thrones Soulmate?”

Tyrion Lannister is the diminutive younger brother in the powerful Lannister family, renowned for being a persuasive diplomat and alcoholic womaniser.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

“Many have judged this storied and tortured man by his stature - but hopefully you are not one to jump to conclusions!” reads the quiz results page.

One question asks what the user’s “leadership style” would be if they were to get involved in politics.

The potential answers include “pulling strings behind the scenes”, “shoot first, ask questions later”, “honesty at all costs”, “let someone else do the heavy lifting”, or “get my enemies drunk enough to give me what I want”.

Other questions include how the the quiz taker behaves “when you like someone”, what traits they find most attractive and what their “ideal first date” might be.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Mr Gove did not respond to requests for comment or questions about how he answered the quiz.

Defra declined to comment as the matter was not related to department business.

The tweet sparked conversation online about which Game Of Thrones character is most similar to Mr Gove.

One Twitter user compared the former Vote Leave leader to the young king Joffrey: “Full of bravado and self promotion, but missing in battle when needed.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Another tweeted: “Imagined you’d be more Littlefinger’s type; manipulative, desperate for power and will stab your mates in the back to get it.”

Much of the HBO series – a huge TV hit across the globe – is filmed at locations in Northern Ireland.