'Thatcher with fake tan': Molly-Mae Hague slammed for comments on privilege

6 January 2022, 13:14 | Updated: 6 January 2022, 13:42

Influencer Molly-Mae Hague has been criticised for "tone deaf" comments she made about privilege and hard work.

Speaking on the YouTube series The Diary of a CEO, Ms Hague - who was appointed creative director of online clothing brand Pretty Little Thing (PLT) last year - said people could "literally go in any direction" with their lives if they 'want it enough' and put in the work.

"I just think you're given one life and it's down to you what you do with it," she says in the clip, from an episode titled Molly-Mae: How She Became Creative Director Of PLT At 22.

"You can literally go in any direction."

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She went on: "When I've spoken in the past I've been slammed a little bit, with people saying 'it's easy for you to say that, you've not grown up in poverty, you've not grown up with major money struggles, so for you to sit there and say we all have the same 24 hours in a day is not correct'.

"And I'm like, but technically what I'm saying is correct – we do.

"So I understand we all have different backgrounds and we're raised in different ways and have different financial situations, but if you want something enough you can achieve it and it just depends to what lengths you want to go to get to where you want to be in the future."

She then said: "And I’ll go to any length. I've worked my absolute a*** off to get where I am now."

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Social media users have hit out at her comments, with the user sharing the viral clip captioning it: "If you’re homeless just buy a house."

Another branded the former Love Islander "Margaret Thatcher with a fake tan", with another Twitter user criticising the 'Thatcherism' present in influencer culture as a whole.

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"Molly Mae is a prime example of how influencers promote individualist narratives and a very right-wing world-view," wrote the user.

"Thatcherite talking-points dressed up in "inspirational" influencer speak."

Another pointed out that other workers at PLT were unlikely to agree with Ms Hague's world-view, writing: "You know who works harder than Molly Mae and aren't paid a fraction of what she earns?? The workers in the sweatshops of the company where she’s creative director."

Others hit out at the idea of meritocracy, with one saying: "Molly Mae won’t be the first to mention it nor the last, but this 'meritocratic' society everyone tries to present is utter b*****t. Your class status at birth will determine how far you go, not your work ethic."