Eccentric Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg pours cold water on the ‘Mogg-mania’ saying he is ‘not taking seriously’ those pushing him to become Prime Minister
BAD news for Jacob Rees-Mogg fans after the eccentric Tory has poured cold water on the push for him to become Prime Minister.
The unlikely social media star says he “can’t help but be flattered” - but called it unwise to have “ambitions above one’s station”.
And instead he praised the current PM Theresa May, saying she should remain in office: “For ever and ever.”
After gaining notoriety for calling his new son, and sixth child, Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher Rees-Mogg, he said he didn’t “think giving one’s son an unusual name is a qualification for being Prime Minister”.
But a campaign, dubbed ‘Mogg-mania’, has formed behind the Old Etonian in recent weeks and has seen odds on him taking over from Mrs May slashed.
One betting site even has the 48-year-old Brexiteer second-only behind David Davis in the race to become the next PM.
According to statistics from BetData the backbencher is ahead of big-hitting Cabinet ministers Boris Johnson, Philip Hammond and Amber Rudd.
However the MP dampened speculation he was planning a tilt at the top job in an interview with the website this morning.
Asked about the campaign to make him leader he replied, after a pause: “Well it’s very flattering. I can’t help but be flattered.
“But I’m not taking it seriously. I don’t think giving one’s son an unusual name is a qualification for being Prime Minister.
“And I’m glad to say there isn’t a vacancy.
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“I’m a backbench Tory MP, and can’t be a serious candidate. But it’s very charming.”
Asked if he wanted to be leader he said: “I don’t think it’s wise to have ambitions above one’s station. But I love being a Tory MP.”
And he said his “real” ambition is to be interviewed on Radio 4’s cricket show Test Match Special, which he will be next month.
And he went on to praise Mrs May, saying “she got more votes than anybody since 1983, and the Conservative share was more votes than Blair in 1997”.
Asked how long she should remain in office he replied: “For ever and ever, Amen, Amen, Alleluia, Alleluia, Amen.”
Urging Tories plotting against the PM and briefing against one another to calm down, he said: “We’ve all got in a terrible flap over the general election, and it’s quite unnecessary.
“It wasn’t as good as we’d hoped. But the Conservative Party is still the party of government. The Prime Minister is still the Prime Minister.”
Mr Rees-Mogg added: “It’s not a catastrophe. Nobody’s died. We’re all still alive. I think a calmer evaluation of the election result is necessary.
“I think the summer is the opportunity for people to think it through, and to realise that all parties need to be led.
“There is no obvious candidate to take over from Theresa May”