UK Edition
Jacob Rees-Mogg compares Brexit to battles of Agincourt, Waterloo and Trafalgar
Jacob Rees-Mogg has compared the UK’s withdrawal from the European Union to the battles of Agincourt, Waterloo and Trafalgar as he insisted young people will “love” Brexit.
The leading Eurosceptic said the UK’s divorce from Brussels would be a similarly important moment in British history as he also suggested its significance would match the signing of the Magna Carta.
Mr Rees-Mogg also claimed younger generations would welcome Brexit when they realise it means they will be in charge of their own future rather than having their lives “determined” by Jean-Claude Juncker, the president of the European Commission.
Mr Rees-Mogg has been a box office attraction at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester with activists willing to brave lengthy queues for the chance to hear him speak.
Appearing at a fringe event on Monday night, Mr Mogg sought to make a positive case for Brexit, telling a cheering crowd: “We need to be reiterating the benefits of Brexit because this is so important in the history of our country.
“This is Magna Carta, it’s the Burgesses coming at Parliament, it’s the great reform bill, it;s the bill of rights, it’s Waterloo, it’s Agincourt, it’s Crecy. We win all of these things.”
Someone in the crowd then yelled “Trafalgar!” prompting Mr Rees-Mogg to add: “And Trafalgar, absolutely.”
Mr Rees-Mogg said leaving the bloc would free the UK “from a failing economic model” - something he described as a “liberation” and an “inspiration”.
The MP for North East Somerset said: “We must make those arguments and young people will love it because we will be telling young people that they will determine their lives rather than having them determined for them by Monsieur Juncker.
“That must seem to me to be a more attractive prospect. Be of good cheer. We won. It is happening. Now what we have got to do is back Theresa May.”
The frequency with which Mr Rees-Mogg has appeared at fringe events in Manchester has furthered speculation that he may be positioning himself for a future run for the Tory leadership.
But he said the Conservative Party needed to unite behind Mrs May.
“Her position needs to remain solid and well supported by all Conservatives to get the Brexit deal done,” he said.
“No more faffing around about alternatives to Mrs May. She is our leader, she needs our support, she deserves our support.”
He also praised Boris Johnson for making the positive case for Brexit in recent high profile interventions, including in a 4,000 word article in The Telegraph.
“The good cheer we get from the Foreign Secretary is fantastic,” he said.
“It is a tonic. It is not just a tonic, it’s a gin and tonic to our spirits.”