A TWEET sent out by Jacinda Ardern eight years ago disparaging Boris Johnson has resurfaced after the UK Prime Minister tweeted his congratulations on her election victory.
Ardern’s Labour party won just over 49% of the votes, which should be enough to secure a parliamentary majority and be the first party to govern New Zealand alone in decades.
Ardern thanked the nation for the strong mandate, said elections “don’t have to be divisive” and promised to govern with positivity.
Nearly 12,000 miles in London, Johnson took to Twitter to congratulate the New Zealand leader on winning a second term.
READ MORE: New Zealand election: Jacinda Ardern wins second term as rival concedes
The Prime Minister’s account tweeted: “Congratulations @jacindaardern for winning a second term as New Zealand PM.
“From our work together to tackle climate change to forging an exciting new trade partnership, the UK and NZ have great things to look forward to in the future.”
However, an old tweet of Ardern’s suggests Johnson may not be as well respected by the New Zealand prime minister as he would like.
Eight years ago, when Ardern was serving her second term as an NZ MP (she’s now on her sixth), the now-prime minister tweeted: “Are people really discussing Boris Johnson as possible candidate for PM?
“When I lived in London he was known as the gaffe man!”
Are people really discussing Boris Johnson as possible candidate for PM? When I lived in London he was known as the gaffe man!
— Jacinda Ardern (@jacindaardern) August 13, 2012
Ardern lived in London during the mid-2000s and worked as part of an 80-strong advisory team to Tony Blair.
She said she never met that British prime minister during that time, and only took the job as she needed to live.
That isn’t the only time the New Zealand leader has tweeted apparently derogatory remarks about the current, Tory Prime Minister.
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In 2013, Darren Hughes, who is now the chief executive of Electoral Reform Society, remarked on Johnson’s inability to deal with tough questions posed by Andrew Marr, adding: “He [Johnson] doesn't like his charm not working!”
Ardern replied to this comment saying: “Reckon he'd be up for a visit to a small commonwealth nation?
“The interviewer, not Boris.”
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