The Tories Just Unveiled The UK's First Laser Weapon – But People Aren't Exactly Impressed
PM Rishi Sunak and defence secretary Grant ShappsThe government promoted the UK’s first laser weapon on social media on Saturday – but it hasn’t exactly gone down well.
The weapon, named DragonFire according to defence secretary Grant Shapps, will enable the UK to shoot down drones “at the speed of light”.
Posting on social media, the cabinet minister said: “It will be a vital British weapon as the threat of drone warfare grows.
“DragonFire is just one of the potentially revolutionary capabilities we’re investing in to gain an advantage against our enemies.”
However, the flashy piece of equipment has come at a time when many people think the government’s focus should perhaps be elsewhere.
After all, the NHS is still flailing and the cost of living crisis is rumbling on.
Only earlier this month, junior doctors embarked on the longest strike in NHS history, and it was confirmed that inflation had shot up again.
The government was also slammed just last week for spending £240 million to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda – even though no refugees have actually been sent to the east African country yet.
It’s also less than a month since the Tories promoted a new “Brexit freedom” – being able to buy wine in pints – another policy announcement which left people very perplexed.
So, you can imagine how critics on X – formerly known as Twitter – responded to Shapps’ post...
500ml of Filippo Berio Olive Oil costs £11.95 in little Sainsbury’s. https://t.co/71ZCtOPCeN
— jonny (@sensiblehuman96) January 20, 2024
❌ Affordable housing.
— Jassa Ahluwalia (@OfficialJassa) January 20, 2024
❌ NHS funding.
✅ Death ray made of light that is impressive because light travels at the speed of light. https://t.co/A3S47g2Vdw
It's 50/50 whether I can afford to do a grocery shop next weekend. But cool. Laser. ???? https://t.co/BGh7gYXK6Qpic.twitter.com/TN63KsCuZd
— Teatime With Matt ???????? (@TeatimeWithMatt) January 20, 2024
Imagine if all this £, talent, & skill was channelled into making life more liveable for everyone, into essentials for thriving, rather than into killing & the tools of killing. 4 million children in poverty on your watch, a million destitute, YOU are the enemy to this country. https://t.co/GeQoHlJQVW
— Dr Finn Mackay Adult Human Feline???? (@Finn_Mackay) January 21, 2024
4 million kids in Britain live in poverty.
— Supertanskiii (@supertanskiii) January 20, 2024
Nearly 8 million people on NHS waiting lists and thousands of excess deaths.
The Tories: Lasers.
Fucking idiots. https://t.co/U1R6Fr2lf7
Hang on a minute, haven't you just repurposed the inflation graph? https://t.co/c5RVf58Ins
— HENRY MORRIS (@mrhenrymorris) January 20, 2024
30% of British children live in poverty and have to skip meals https://t.co/0KCNveoCWk
— الكسندرا ميراي???????? (@LexiAlex) January 21, 2024
they will build literally anything aside from housing https://t.co/0foaGRWMZm
— Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) January 20, 2024
Can I just have a council flat please https://t.co/643t1LxuQL
— Morgan Paulett ???????????? (@MorganPaulett) January 20, 2024
We're living in a simulation, honestly.
— James Pike (@JamesPike1702) January 21, 2024
Affordable housing, Reduce NHS waiting times, create safe routes for migrants to enter the UK, stop corporate greed which is fueling the cost of living crisis?
Nah, let's make a weapon straight from Austin fucking Powers!! ????♂️????♂️ https://t.co/kpSjEy7lrmpic.twitter.com/33IB9obOa9
But its disabled unemployed people that are to blame for taxes being so high https://t.co/EwUmgwT0Cl
— Rachel Charlton-Dailey ???????????? (she/they) (@RachelCDailey) January 20, 2024
