IT'S a phrase that goes back centuries and means nothing complimentary.
Today the term "perfidious Albion" is trending as Twitter reacts to the latest news about Brexit.
Last night it emerged that Downing Street is preparing new laws set to override a key part of the EU withdrawal agreement that was set just last year.
No 10 says the plan is just a stand-by, but it's provoked a strong response from commentators, sending the term "perfidious Albion" around the internet.
I see Perfidious Albion is trending. Slow handclap to @UKgovcomms
— Shell (@Michex69) September 7, 2020
So @BorisJohnson looks like he is set to undermine the withdrawal treaty and put Brexit talks at risk. If that's true then we are the most Perfidious Albion. #BrexitShambles https://t.co/NAZtYX8X2o via @financialtimes
— Black and Asian Lawyers For Justice (@BameFor) September 7, 2020
The term, which means "untrustworthy England", or in some usages, Britain, is a rendering of wording that first emerged in French in the 1790s and is usually attributed to the playwright Augustin Louis de Ximénes.
Perfidious Albion. Makes me nauseated to have the same Nationality as these charlatan Liars. https://t.co/ms7XEJTU75
— Trevor Stables 🇪🇺-🔶 (@trevor_stables) September 6, 2020
And it's long been used in discourse about diplomacy, or the lack of it.
Seeing Perfidious Albion trending reminded of the days when Mark Francois used to be seen in public. Wherever he's got to, I do hope he's OK. But I would ask the people of Rayleigh and Wickford to check garages and sheds, just in case he's wandered inside.https://t.co/IfUZMktAq0
— David Mason (@DavidMason800) September 7, 2020
From the people who taught us what prorogation was, I give you Perfidious Albion pic.twitter.com/tSuGzxIBqT
— phil dawson (@thedeptofclouds) September 7, 2020
It was amongst the biggest topics of the day on Irish Twitter.
'
— Pat Mehone (@PatrickMehone) September 7, 2020
Just Sinn Féin's Martina Anderson MEP warning the EU not to trust "Perfidious Albion" on #Brexit while the Irish media were raising statues to Simon Coveney and Leo Varadkar
Boris Johnson and the ERG never intended to honour the WA or any #Brexit the DUP opposed.#TodayCB
⚠ https://t.co/XFGHt3rFfy
Busy morning.
— Marc Scully (@marcdonnchadh) September 7, 2020
*logs into Twitter*
'Perfidious Albion' is trending in Ireland.
*logs out of Twitter* pic.twitter.com/7etB24ok1R
Even by the standards of Perfidious Albion, this would be an extraordinary act of bad faith. https://t.co/1LaTo38EKl
— Gary Gannon TD (@1GaryGannon) September 6, 2020
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