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Online Comment Editor Cameron Scheijde responds to Conservative MP Jacob Rees Mogg's address to students on Friday evening, aruging his so-called 'principled' conservative stance fails to hold up to scrutiny.
The mild-mannered, eloquent and opinionated member for North East Somerset has attracted something of a cult following of late. Centred around his antiquated views, image and mannerisms, Rees Mogg hogs the attention of activists on the left and right alike. Some see him to be the beacon of a bright, great future. Others see him as a textbook Tory villain; dangerously socially conservative and terrifyingly old-fashioned. However, despite all the attention, the controversial MP has a gaping hole in his ideology of so-called “liberty”.
"In repeatedly and publicly conflating his personal faith and his policy position, Rees Mogg proves himself a hypocrite."
Rees Mogg may be dubbed the member for the 17th Century, but his capture of the hearts and minds of many younger conservatives is impressive. Despite this, it is impossible to avoid the fact that, behind the glasses and the double-breasted suits, his views are dangerous, and his justifications for them inexcusable.
In his talk to the University Conservative Association and other assembled guests, Rees Mogg consistently stressed the importance of the principles of freedom, liberty and individual responsibility. He stated that a ‘conservative’ is someone who, simply, believes they, as individuals, can make better decisions than the state on the issues that affect them directly.
Fair enough. While there may be objections to that point of view, it is fairly unproblematic. However, where his ideology falls flat is in his social conservatism - opposition to same-sex marriage and abortion being the most famous. He stresses the importance of faith: that he believes life begins at conception, and that marriage is sacred within the confines of the Church (by extension only between a man and a woman, according to his Catholic faith). However, despite apparently praising the principle of separation of Church and State, a country governed by Rees Mogg would prevent other free individuals of differing opinions or faiths from making decisions on their bodies, or choosing to marry the person they love. In repeatedly and publicly conflating his personal faith and his policy position, Rees Mogg proves himself a hypocrite.
.@Jacob_Rees_Mogg addressed students and members of the Conservative Association this evening, discussing Brexit, conservatism and same-sex marriage. #ReesMoggTalkhttps://t.co/MG0nVRnfz1 pic.twitter.com/RBTW7XHlnD
— Epigram (@EpigramPaper) February 16, 2018
Former Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron was one politician repeatedly and consistently hounded by the press over his conservative faith - especially over his opinions on same-sex marriage and sex. However, despite it being patently clear that Farron sees it as sinful, he consistently voted in favour of LGBTQ+ rights, even when we was a lowly backbencher in a Liberal Democrat contingent of over 60 MPs. He was able to separate his personal belief and faith from doing what is right - protecting the rights of an oft-vindicated community.
"His ideology of freedom of choice fails to stand up to scrutiny"
Rees Mogg attacked the Liberal Democrats for no longer being ‘liberal’ in his speech; though he would do well to learn from the MP for Westmoreland. He has voted against LGBTQ+ rights to marry on 6 separate occasions. While preaching tolerance for all opinions, and even quoting Matthew 7:1-5 “Judge not, that ye be not judge”, he consistently contradicts himself. He states his firm belief that “life begins at conception”, and when he answered a question about rape victims he said he would never pass judgment on someone in that situation. Yet he would enforce a policy that would actively prevent that woman from getting an abortion.
Rees Mogg leaves the Priory Road Lecture Theatre on Friday (Epigram / Cameron Scheijde)
That is a striking contradiction from a man who preaches total freedom of choice.
Unless Rees Mogg believes the public are coerced by the state into decisions to have abortions, or to marry someone of the same sex, his ideology of freedom of choice fails to stand up to scrutiny. Under his ideology, the individual should be free to make the decisions that affect them without being infringed upon by the state. Fine. His voting record would state that he thinks the state should be able to tell a woman what is right for her body, and should prevent two people in love from getting married, under the guise of protecting ‘religious liberty’.
"His principles can only hold up if he applies them to all policy decisions, not just those with which is in agreement"
A keen-eared listener pulled him up on this paradox; but his answer was uncharacteristically vague. He said the “state shouldn’t have the right to take a life” in the case of abortion, and stated his principle that also lends his opposition to assisted dying and capital punishment. He failed to address the fact that the state isn’t the one making that decision.
Rees Mogg is clearly an extremely principled man, but his principles can only hold up if he applies them to all policy decisions, not just those with which he is in agreement.
One can only hope that, if the backbencher is in with a shot of a cabinet position, or even the keys to Number 10, he can address this startling hypocrisy.
Featured image: (Twitter / Epigram)
