Rees-Moggian Themes

Jacob Rees Mogg’s recent TV interview has caused a stir. Here is a politician who is not ashamed to speak out against abortion and withhold support for homosexual marriage. I find it refreshing that we have an MP here who’s prepared to put his values before popularity. The man is a Roman Catholic, and is faithful to the teachings of his Church. In terms of morality, the Catholic Church gets much right. You can almost feel the presenters’ shock at the sheer effrontery of a politician daring to say that abortion is always wrong.

The man himself, despite resembling a Victorian Punch caricature, is being tipped as a future prime minister. A weakened Theresa May might well find herself succeeded by this man if polls of Tory Party members are anything to go by. Once upon a time, he’d have been written off as a silly right-wing stereotype, an Edwardian hanger-on. Is he not, though, the Conservative equivalent of Jeremy Corbyn? Both men come from the nether regions of their political territories; both are further right/left wing than the majority of the electorate. Corbyn is doing much better than the pundits thought; Rees-Mogg might do the same.

Whatever your politics, let’s applaud another politician, perhaps like Jeremy Corbyn, who is governed more by principle than public opinion.

You can watch the interview here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WE6WC_BVZ4Q