Jacob Rees-Mogg joked that he would have to ask his nanny to cut his hair with a pudding bowl while hairdressers remain closed under partial lockdown.
The leader of the house of Commons launched into something of a bizarre comedy routine when asked when hairdressers might reopen.
Jacob Rees-Mogg was asked when hairdressers might reopen. He says he's worried he might have to ask Nanny to get th… https://t.co/s7TVvGxpDH— Peter Saull (@Peter Saull) 1591276996
Rees-Mogg told the Commons:
When I was a child, I remember there being a song called Long Haired Lover from Liverpool. I had never aimed in my whole career to end up looking like the long haired lover from Liverpool. But I fear I'm heading in that direction. I have never had longer hair and I'm beginning to wonder whether I oughtn't to ask nanny if she can't find a pudding bowl and put it on and see if something can't be done as an emergency measure. Of course a nanny's part of the household, what a daft question.
As guffaws from his fellow Tory MPs died down, Rees-Mogg then rattled off the serious answer that he is working with the industry to find "safe ways" to reopen at the "earliest point". He then quipped that "many of us will feel there is a burden lifted from our shoulders".
Rees-Mogg later took to Twitter to share a photo of his great-great grandfather with abundantly long hair.
As I noted in the chamber, there has long been a problem in my family when hairdressers have been inaccessible. Beh… https://t.co/uGmmyeGk6i— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob Rees-Mogg) 1591278062
Jacob Rees-Mogg's family does actually have a nanny, who has worked for them for more than 50 years. Veronica Cook helped to raise Rees-Mogg and now cares for his own children.
Obviously, his jokes are extremely out of touch with people who aren't old-Etonian multi-millionaires.
@petesaull Man of the people 😑— Andy Devitt (@Andy Devitt) 1591277304
@Jacob_Rees_Mogg Don't try humour. It isn't you.— jonathan rule #FBPE (@jonathan rule #FBPE) 1591278122
And his quaint Victorian gentleman act can also be dangerous, helping him to get away with imposing cumbersome rules on the Commons.
@SpillerOfTea @KathyBurke @Jacob_Rees_Mogg Don't forget, the Rt Honourable member for the 18th century, is the pers… https://t.co/jmOMdR5KHs— Stuart Macintosh (@Stuart Macintosh) 1591287255
@Jacob_Rees_Mogg Oh, that Jacob- so quaint, so witty, so eloquent. How could anyone dislike him? Very easily, actua… https://t.co/TFf2dURh1A— KevInCornwall (@KevInCornwall) 1591283466
Recently, Rees-Mogg implemented rules that mean MPs have to return to the Commons to vote, putting them at potential risk to coronavirus and creating a ridiculous 'Mogg conga' around parliament. He's also had difficulty following his own rules himself.
One of Parliaments most foolish, idiotic members. After COVID viciously struck the Prime Minister, then the Health… https://t.co/L9CKTuXC93— Dr. Jennifer Cassidy (@Dr. Jennifer Cassidy) 1591286578
Hands up if you think Jacob Rees-Mogg is a lanky streak of victorian haunted piss of a Where’s Wally! And also a th… https://t.co/Rk4iuBoPgi— DrewLawrenceAntiques (@DrewLawrenceAntiques) 1591261000
Jacob Rees-Mogg will apparently not need to self isolate because coronavirus cannot infect 18th century vampires— dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻 (@dave ❄️ 🥕 🧻) 1591226198
Funny how Jacob Rees-Mogg thinks he'd have been smart enough to have escaped Grenfell but didn't think forcing a bu… https://t.co/F0orGkYp0W— Sirin Kale (@Sirin Kale) 1591215287
Jacob Rees-Mogg is known for wearing a top hat and responds to emails from his constituents by letter.
He helped to establish himself as the 'right honourable member for the 18th century' with appearances on TV shows like Have I Got News For You.
But when MPs are being put needlessly at risk because of his outdated rules and struggling businesses need serious answers on when they might expect to see customers again, his quaint stabs at comedy can be something less than helpful.