Ex-deputy prime minister Nick Clegg is to hang up his governmental boots as he joins challenged social giant Facebook.
Facebook's decision to appoint Nick Clegg as head of global affairs and communications has left some a little gob-smacked. Here's what Twitter had to say...
Some saw the irony
Initially popular with the young but now no longer trusted, Facebook appoints Nick Clegg.
— Stig Abell (@StigAbell) October 19, 2018
The last thing Facebook needs right now is a politician answering to all these questions... ♂️
— marco bertozzi (@m_bertozzi) October 19, 2018
Others tried to see the funny side
Nick Clegg’s first day at Facebook: ‘WhatsApp has been the transmission platform for illegal messages between US government official and foreign power that has tortured and killed a US-based journalist....oh, the coffee machine is down the hall , here’s your badge ‘ — emily bell (@emilybell) October 19, 2018
Some were sceptical given Clegg's performance as the UK's deputy PM
Facebook hires Nick Clegg because selling out an entire generation for a grab at power and selling the data of an entire generation for power take pretty much the same mindset — TechnicallyRon (@TechnicallyRon) October 19, 2018
You know what ever Facebook does now to further erode democracy and your right to privacy, #nickclegg is going to say: "it would have been much worst if I had not been there to temper their excesses."— Harry Leslie Smith (@Harryslaststand) October 19, 2018
Others highlighted that Clegg is one of many MP's to end up at a tech company
His ex-colleagues at Westminster also had something to say
Some pointed out the parallels between Clegg's rise to deputy PM and his Facebook appointment
Marmalade-dropper from the FT: Facebook hires Nick Clegg. A man who has definitely never previously accepted a job on the basis of promises he'll be able to influence
the course of a big blue juggernaut. https://t.co/zP6NiL7DAmpic.twitter.com/rz4Sbjo4iw— Robert Hutton (@RobDotHutton) October 19, 2018
But a few people said that the hire made perfect sense
Clegg is also well connected to the European Commission, which runs the EU. He got his first job in politics through EU commissioner Leon Britton, a family friend. So Clegg is close to all the political forces that could check Facebook.
— Tom Morton (@tommorton) October 19, 2018
Tbf this makes perfect sense (to Facebook) - who better for Facebook to have to face MPs at inevitable future select committees than an ex-MP...? https://t.co/HM99HdNHx5
— Simon Neville (@SimonNeville) October 19, 2018
Facebook hiring @Nick_Clegg makes sense
They desperately need someone with deep knowledge + experience of UK/EU inter-governmental processes, rules, regulations + he probably has useful influential connections
The Q is is whether he'll fit well with the culture inside Facebook
— Matt Navarra (@MattNavarra) October 19, 2018