His remarks will likely lead to a further backlash
Jacob Rees-Mogg is having a disastrous 24 hours, this time claiming that lockdown rules were ‘very hard to obey’ when challenged over Boris Johnson’s decision to attend a Downing Street party in 2020 during the first national lockdown.
The leader of the House of Commons suggested that the Covid public inquiry also look into whether the lockdown rules were ‘too hard’ on people. Rees-Mogg’s comments come as Boris Johnson faces growing calls to resign after admitting he attended the garden party while the rest of the country was being asked to stay at home.
Speaking in the Commons today he said: “People were obeying the rules, and that these rules were very hard for people to obey.
“We must consider as this goes to an inquiry and we look into what happened with Covid, whether all those regulations were proportionate, or whether it was too hard on people.”
The out of touch Eton educated millionaire’s comments will likely cause further pain and anger to millions up and down the country who followed the rules, as well as to the families and friends who couldn’t be with loved ones in their final moments.
Rees-Mogg also made condescending remarks towards Scottish Tories yesterday as he attempted to deal with the crisis affecting the party, only to make it much worse.
Appearing on Newsnight, he branded the Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross “a lightweight” after he told Boris Johnson to resign over his attendance at the Downing Street lockdown party.
Basit Mahmood is editor of Left Foot Forward
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