{"id":888,"date":"2017-12-21T11:00:23","date_gmt":"2017-12-21T11:00:23","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thewitnesspoliticsjournal.wordpress.com\/?p=888"},"modified":"2020-02-06T13:28:29","modified_gmt":"2020-02-06T13:28:29","slug":"jacob-rees-mogg-interview-the-fear-of-no-deal-is-one-of-those-periodic-spasms-of-fear-like-the-millennium-bug","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thewitnessexeter.co.uk\/?p=888","title":{"rendered":"Jacob Rees-Mogg interview: ‘The fear of no deal is one of those periodic spasms of fear…’"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>6 Minute, 29 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>

This article first appeared in the print edition of The Witness, Autumn Term 2017  <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Often dubbed the \u2018honourable member for the 18th<\/sup> Century\u2019, Jacob Rees-Mogg is now keen to display his anti-establishment credentials. He discusses Corbyn\u2019s successes, Conservative failures, the establishment, Brexit, and how his party must adapt for the future.<\/strong><\/p>\n

The Member of Parliament for North East Somerset was until recently known for his political caricature and love of ridiculously long words (In 2012 he described alleged corruption in the European Court of Justice with the word: floccinaucinihilipilification<\/em>). Though, \u2018The Moggfather\u2019 is no longer a joke. Jacob Rees-Mogg is now level with Jeremy Corbyn as the bookmaker\u2019s favourite to succeed Theresa May in the top job.<\/p>\n

Rees-Mogg accepts the Conservative Party has a problem in attracting voters away from Corbyn after his stronger than expected performance in June\u2019s General Election. \u201cWhat they liked I think was the principled approach Corbyn is taking, so that you understand why he\u2019s going to do something from what he believes in. Before you know the specific policy, you know what it\u2019s likely to be\u201d. Whereas, with the Conservatives as a longstanding party of government \u201cpeople see the solutions but they don\u2019t see the basis of the solutions\u201d. He argues the party must discover the \u201cgolden thread of underlying principle\u201d that links their policy together.<\/p>\n

However, when probed on splits between Remainers and Brexiteers, traditionalists and radicals in the party he leaps to the defensive. \u201cI think it\u2019s important to recognise the pro-Europeans are an important part of the Conservative Party\u201d he stresses. When called a traditionalist, he explains \u201cI\u2019ve always believed that you preserve things best by working out what you mustn\u2019t preserve. It\u2019s trying to ensure that the development of policy doesn\u2019t get rid of things unnecessarily just because they\u2019re old, equally some things that are old don\u2019t work. I\u2019m not in favour of us going around in horses and carts \u2013 I\u2019m in favour of going around in cars\u201d.<\/p>\n

Whilst claiming there were many causes of Brexit, it\u2019s evident that he holds one in higher regard than the rest. \u201cThe single biggest factor was the democracy issue \u2013 can my vote change the government? And the thought that your vote couldn\u2019t change the government was of great importance to people\u201d. The best outcome? His answer was clear. \u201cThe best outcome is that we become a globally free trading nation, that we give consumers in this country the opportunity to have lower prices, and that we have control of our own affairs so that if governments do well or badly they will be held accountable by the voters\u201d. The worst outcome? \u201cThe worst deal is we remain de facto inside the European Union without any say in how it\u2019s run\u2026 that would be a grave error and a betrayal of Brexit\u201d.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m not in favour of us going around in horses and carts \u2013 I\u2019m in favour of going around in cars\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

What about if we don\u2019t get a deal at all? \u201cI think people get far too worried about this. Not everything we do is determined by Europe. Trade can carry on under WTO terms \u2013 that\u2019s extremely straight forward. There is no dislocation of goods coming into the United Kingdom as we would have control over that. The risk from goods leaving the UK being disrupted is minimal because it\u2019s so important in the supply chains of continental European companies\u201d. He surmises by declaring \u201cthe fear of no deal is one of those periodic spasms of fear that people have like the millennium bug or when people around the year 1000 thought the world would end \u2013 it\u2019s not real\u201d.<\/p>\n

Nonetheless, when it comes to the question of the establishment, European interference is front and centre. Accepting that he was born into the upper echelons of society and acknowledging the interpretation of the Brexit vote as a backlash against such elites, he\u2019s quick to display which side he\u2019s on. \u201cBecause I know the establishment well I know what is wrong with it. I think it deserved the kicking it got, so I\u2019m very happy to be on the anti-establishment side\u201d. He does not think it accurate to describe Brexit as the result of discontent with domestic politics in isolation. \u201cIt was the EU that was making them worse off, it was the EU law that was making the cost of their food more expensive\u201d. When the recent rise in food prices is pointed out he\u2019s having none of it: \u201cThat\u2019s because we\u2019re still in the EU\u201d he retorts.<\/p>\n

The optimism in tone continues into the discussion of \u2018global Britain\u2019 post-Brexit. Far from mourning the loss EU institutions such as the European Council, Mogg believes this to be something of a blessing. Stating that the UK will no longer be bound by EU policy on existing international forums, and will regain its seat on the WTO, he talks of great opportunity. But haven\u2019t we lost any clout? \u201cOh, we\u2019ve gained clout!\u201d he exclaims. When asked how this could be applied to Syria or North Korea he regains some sobriety however. \u201cWell I don\u2019t think it\u2019s realistic to think either the EU or the UK will play a major role in North Korea\u2026 just because we\u2019re outside the EU doesn\u2019t mean we\u2019re able to solve all the world\u2019s problems\u201d. What conditions would he set for returning to the EU? \u201cI wouldn\u2019t. Once we\u2019ve left I can\u2019t see any reason for returning\u2026 the EU would have to change out of all recognition\u201d. Obviously, he doesn\u2019t place much faith in that happening. \u201cI don\u2019t think this is feasible\u201d.<\/p>\n

“I\u2019m very happy to be on the anti-establishment side”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Despite repeatedly expressing his support for Theresa May coming out of the election, he gives both barrels to criticising the election campaign. \u201cWe were too complacent, we thought it would be easy, and we had a manifesto that was worse than uninspiring, just a secession of policy precepts which hit our own supporters\u201d. Referring to the commitment to scrap the \u2018triple lock\u2019 on pensions and the so called \u2018dementia tax\u2019, disappointment with the manifesto not only applies to the elderly. \u201cAnd we didn\u2019t speak to young people \u2013 we just didn\u2019t bother. It wasn\u2019t that we had policies they didn\u2019t like, we just didn\u2019t say anything to them and just assumed they wouldn\u2019t vote\u201d, the exasperation in his voice growing.<\/p>\n

The campaign on social media was also to blame. \u201cJeremy Corbyn had a better social media campaign this time round, we had the better social media campaign in 2015. It changes so rapidly it\u2019s quite hard for politicians to keep up with\u201d. He is doubtful of the notion that other Conservatives could learn anything from his own online success. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t dream to teach the party any lessons, no. I don\u2019t really know why the things I\u2019ve put on social media have had the response they\u2019ve had\u201d.<\/p>\n

As for Theresa May\u2019s future and the 2022 campaign, he clearly wants to dampen the idea of himself as a possible successor. \u201cIt\u2019s some years off\u2026 but does Mrs May have my full support? Yes, she has\u201d. Is he open to a reassessment? \u201cWho knows what will happen in five years, but were the election in five weeks or five months Mrs May would have my full support\u201d.<\/p>\n

Jacob Rees-Mogg backs the Prime Minister \u2013 for now.<\/p>\n

Will is Co-Editor-in-Chief of The Witness<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

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