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Jacob Rees-Mogg: it’s time to reform the House of Lords

After a successful turn on the main stage at Conservative party conference today, Commons Leader Jacob Rees-Mogg made his way to a drinks reception this evening to continue the festivities and to give another speech.

There, the Cabinet minister began by listing the three areas where he felt the UK had been held back the most by the ‘protectionist, Bismarckian market system of the EU’: fishing, agriculture and trade. The first of which, he said, meant the government had a ‘debt of honour’ to repay to fishing communities, after the way they were treated when the UK joined the EU.

The Moggster also hit out at the British establishment, before calling for reform of the House of Lords, after its peers rushed through legislation to prevent Britain leaving the EU on 31 October:

‘But isn’t it extraordinary the extent to which the British establishment is doing its best to stop Brexit? I know some of you look at me and think, how on earth can I be criticising the British establishment?

Why am I not the living embodiment of the British establishment? If you want to draw a cartoon of the British establishment, would it end up looking remarkably like me? But no.

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Steerpike
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Steerpike

Steerpike is The Spectator's gossip columnist, serving up the latest tittle tattle from Westminster and beyond. Email tips to steerpike@spectator.co.uk or message @MrSteerpike

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