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2025-06-26 20:55:30 [Digital Culture] Source: Unique Information Network

It seems that our foreign secretary hasn't properly done his research about Harry Potter.

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In a bid to discredit Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn ahead of snap elections next month, the well-spoken Boris Johnson called Corbyn a "mutton-headed mugwump":

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That prompted basically everyone in the UK to search for its meaning on Google:

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So what is a mugwump?

According to Oxford Dictionary, a mugwump is a person who remains aloof or independent, especially from party politics. The word originated from an Algonquian word meaning "war leader."

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Some people alleged Johnson took inspiration from Willy Wonka in Roald Dahl's Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.

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Others pointed to Naked Lunchby William Burroughs, in which mugwumps are a predatory, alien species:

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However, it's in the world of Harry Potterthat the word takes a totally different meaning.

Fans of the J.K. Rowling's saga were quick to stress on Twitter that Supreme Mugwump is the title of the head of the International Confederation of Wizards:

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The first appointed Supreme Mugwump was Pierre Bonaccord. However, his appointment was contested by Warlocks in Lichtenstein "due to his opinions on stopping Troll-hunting and rights for Trolls".

Albus Dumbledore was also appointed Supreme Mugwump, but was dismissed from his position after the Ministry of Magic rejected his position that Lord Voldemort had returned.

Dumbledore was restored as a member of the Confederation after the Ministry's acceptance of Voldemort's return, but not as Supreme Mugwump.

However, if you're thinking that Corbyn could be well-suited to be a socialist Dumbledore, think twice because J.K. doesn't agree. In a tweet from August last year, she rejected the comparison: