The 'Brexit' referendum and 'Game of Thrones' aren't all that different
LONDON -- As people cast their votes in the referendum on Britain's membership in the European Union, the nation is bracing itself for what could be a future-defining result. To remain or not to remain, that is the question.
And, despite Britain's reputation for crippling politeness, the battle over whether we should remain or leave the EU could not be further from polite. Tensions are high, personalities are clashing and in-fighting and double-crossing abound.
This level of passion and fighting spirit is akin to the fierce convictions and fervour displayed in Game of Thrones.
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This got us thinking about how key "Brexit" figures would cope if they were in the brutal Game of Thrones realm, and -- crucially -- which characters they would play.
Angela Merkel -- Daenerys Targaryen
Merkel's Brexit stance: House Remain
Of all the badass leaders in the world, Germany's chancellor -- Angela Merkel -- is the biggest badass around. To start with, she's the most powerful woman on the planet, according to this year's Forbes list. She's been dubbed everything from the "Iron Frau" to "Europe's most dangerous leader," and Germany's support for her has been up and down recently. Merkel has warned against exiting the EU, and recently stated that that countries outside the EU "will never get a really good result in negotiations."
Why is she Daenerys?
Just like Daenerys, Merkel is kicking ass in a male-dominated arena. And much like the Khaleesi we know and love, she's an assertive and strategic power player, who knows what she wants and how to get it. The mother of dragons is a keen empire builder and she would definitely defend Merkel's desire to keep the European empire intact.
Katie Hopkins -- Cersei
Hopkins' Brexit stance: House Leave
Katie Hopkins recently promised to run naked with a sausage secreted in an unmentionable part of her body if the Conservative candidate didn’t win London’s mayoral election. He didn’t win, but thankfully Hopkins chickened out and didn’t fulfil her promise. Hopkins has been highly vocal about her Brexit stance, and has made it abundantly clear that she considers House Remain her mortal enemy.
Why is she Cersei?
Cersei was forced to walk naked through the streets of King’s Landing by that weird bloke, the High Sparrow. So, Hopkins already has something in common with her. But crucially, Cersei is fiercely loyal to her House. She once said the words: "Everyone who isn't us is an enemy."
David Cameron -- Ser Davos Seaworth
David's Brexit stance: House Remain
David Cameron's having a right nightmare. His party -- the Conservatives -- is divided over the EU Referendum. The most recent figures show that 185 Conservative MPs have declared as House Remain, while 138 Tory MPs are House Leave.
Why is he Sir Davos?
Much like David "call me Dave" Cameron, Ser Davos got caught up in a mutiny at the Night's Watch, which -- spoiler alert -- resulted in the death of Jon Snow, albeit a temporary one.
Nigel Farage -- High Sparrow
Nigel's Brexit stance: House Leave
UKIP leader Nigel Farage has played an integral role in the Leave campaign. If you've turned on a TV screen lately, the chances are that you'll have witnessed Farage on the campaign trail, urging voters to join House Leave.
Why is he the High Sparrow?
OK, so Farage hasn't imprisoned anyone lately, or forced anyone to walk naked through the streets. But, he does have one thing in common with the High Sparrow.
The High Sparrow -- just like Farage -- is passionate about his cause, the Faith of the Seven. Farage shares this fervour, but hasn't quite taken it to the same extremes as the High Sparrow.
Boris Johnson -- Joffrey Baratheon
Boris' Brexit stance: House Leave
Just like Farage, BoJo has been very vocal about his views on the EU. He believes that "Brexiting" would be a "win-win" for everyone in the UK. His views on the EU are said to have cost him his friendship with his former BFF -- and Remainer -- David Cameron.
Boris is also a big power player in the Conservative party, and is rumoured to be a contender to succeed David Cameron as Tory Leader -- and possibly prime minister.
Why is he Joffrey?
Not gonna lie, this is mostly due to the blonde hair. Nonetheless, Joffrey was hungry for power and had a propensity to act rather foolishly. BoJo -- though fiercely intelligent -- is widely accepted as a buffoon. Thankfully, he does not share Joffrey's evil streak, and hopefully he won't meet the same grisly demise that Joffrey did.
Jeremy Corbyn -- Tommen Baratheon
Corbyn's Brexit stance: House Remain
If the Labour Party had a throne, Corbyn would be sitting on it. He's been on the campaign trail urging voters to vote to keep the UK in the EU. Since being elected as party leader, he's been doing things a little differently to his predecessors, from attempting to change the format of Prime Minister's Questions in Parliament to subtle sartorial changes, like not wearing a tie.
Why is he Tommen?
Just like Tommen, Corbyn is relatively new to his position as leader. And, while many people view Corbyn as a force for change within politics, he has also been labelled "weak" and "the most unpopular new opposition leader in the history of polling." Tommen isn't quite so unpopular, but he is very weak, impressionable and is yet to prove his mettle.
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Topics Game Of Thrones Politics
Rachel Thompson is the Features Editor at Mashable. Rachel's second non-fiction book The Love Fix: Reclaiming Intimacy in a Disconnected World is out now, published by Penguin Random House in Jan. 2025. The Love Fix explores why dating feels so hard right now, why we experience difficult emotions in the realm of love, and how we can change our dating culture for the better.
A leading sex and dating writer in the UK, Rachel has written for GQ, The Guardian, The Sunday Times Style, The Telegraph, Cosmopolitan, Glamour, Stylist, ELLE, The i Paper, Refinery29, and many more.
Rachel's first book Rough: How Violence Has Found Its Way Into the Bedroom And What We Can Do About It, a non-fiction investigation into sexual violence was published by Penguin Random House in 2021.
