Jacob Rees-Mogg and his family take to the streets of his constituency as he bids to put row over his ‘common sense’ Grenfell Tower comments behind him on the campaign trail
- Conservative MP was joined on campaign trail in North Somerset by his family
- He is bidding to win the constituency for the fifth consecutive time since 2010
- It comes just days after he apologised for comments he made about Grenfell
- He was slammed for remarks, where he suggested victims lacked common sense
Jacob Rees-Mogg was joined by his family on the campaign trail yesterday, as he sought to put the controversy over his Grenfell Tower comments behind him.
The Conservative MP shared a photo of himself with wife Helena and five of their six children as they handed out fliers in Westfield, part of his North East Somerset constituency.
It comes just days after he ‘profoundly apologised’ for suggesting Grenfell Tower victims who followed firefighters’ instructions to ‘stay put’ in their flats as the building burned had lacked ‘common sense’.
Jacob Rees-Mogg was joined by his family as he hit the campaign trail in his North Somerset constituency yesterday
Mr Rees-Mogg, 50, was asked about the decision of the London Fire Brigade to not evacuate the burning block for almost two hours and told LBC’s Nick Ferrari: ‘If you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.’
His words caused a storm of outrage and he later apologised in a statement: ‘I profoundly apologise. What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay in at the time.
‘However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and don’t think anyone else would. I would hate to upset the people of Grenfell if I was unclear in my comments.’
Mr Rees-Mogg upset families who lost loved-ones in the worst fire in Britain for a generation.
He told host Nick Ferrari: ‘The more one’s read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.
It comes just days after he was forced to apologise following his comments about Grenfell Tower victims
Jacob Rees-Mogg sparked fury after suggesting Grenfell Tower residents (pictured on the night of the fire left and in the days after right) who followed firefighters’ instructions to ‘stay put’ lacked ‘common sense’
‘And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.’
The Leader of the House of Commons took to the streets of his constituency with his family in an attempt to put the row behind him.
He was joined by wife Helena, as well as his children Peter Theodore Alphege, Thomas Wentworth Somerset Dunstan, Anselm Charles Fitzwilliam, Alfred Wulfric Leyson Pius Rees-Mogg and Sixtus Dominic Boniface Christopher.
Mary Anne Charlotte Emma was allowed to stay at home because she had ‘homework’, according to her father.
He has held the North East Somerset since its creation in 2010, increasing his share of the vote each time.
In 2017, he won by more than 10,000 votes with a vote share of 53.6 per cent.
He is favourite to win the seat again in the upcoming General Election, though Lib Dem candidate Nick Coates has reportedly raised more than £10,000 in his bid to unseat Mr Rees-Mogg.