Yahoo News The Tory government is definitely not right-wing, says Jacob Rees-Mogg
Jacob Rees-Mogg has denied the Conservative government is right-wing, and called on the prime minister to go ‘full steam ahead’ with a no-deal Brexit, if the government does not secure an agreement with Brussels.
Talking to the Telegraph’s ‘Chopper’s Brexit Podcast’ , the MP also called for lower taxes and less regulation after Britain leaves the European Union.
Asked about the criticism that the current administration is right-wing, Rees-Mogg replied: ‘There’s no evidence for that, I don’t think the government is right-wing.’
Then asked if he thought Brexit was a right-wing policy, the chairman of the European Research Group (ERG) added: ‘Brexit is as much as a left-wing project as a right-wing project, but fundamentally it is a question of democracy.’
He added that right-wing was a ‘term of abuse’ that some people liked to shout out at MPs.
In a wide-ranging interview, he said there should not be a second EU referendum and said those who wanted it in Parliament were not ‘brave enough’ to call for one because they were fearful of the reaction.
Asked about the power of the ERG, which have some accused of being the real government, he said it was a ‘great pity’ that it was not in power.
He added that Mrs May should go ‘full steam ahead without any agreement’ if she could not get a vote through parliament next week.
His comments come as London and Brussels appear to have reached a stalemate over the latest round of Brexit negotiations.
Rees-Mogg’s Conservative party colleague, said on Friday that relations with the EU will be ‘poisoned for many years to come’ if Brussels fails to budge its position over the Irish backstop.
On Tuesday, the government will put its Brexit deal to MPs again, which was initally voted down by ba 230-vote margin.
If it is defeated, Britain faces the possibility of leaving the UK without a deal or seeking an extension to the March 29 leaving deadline.
Mr Rees-Mogg was also asked how he could be younger than Will Smith – the politician is 49, the actor is 50 – but admitted he did not know who the Hollywood star was.
‘I haven’t met Mr Smith,’ he said.
