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| Jacob Rees-Mogg says Tory conference has become 'Kim Jong-un-style' event | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Jacob Rees-Mogg has said Tory party bosses are running a “Kim Jong-un-style” conference, as he compared the atmosphere to the North Korean regime. | |
| The outspoken backbencher, who has been touted as a possible replacement for Theresa May, said the party treated its members “appallingly” and joked that delegates were forced to turn up and clap like citizens in the authoritarian state. | The outspoken backbencher, who has been touted as a possible replacement for Theresa May, said the party treated its members “appallingly” and joked that delegates were forced to turn up and clap like citizens in the authoritarian state. |
| His comments came amid soul searching within the party over the disastrous election result, which saw the Conservative majority wiped out and young voters flocking to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party. | His comments came amid soul searching within the party over the disastrous election result, which saw the Conservative majority wiped out and young voters flocking to Jeremy Corbyn’s Labour party. |
| Mr Rees-Mogg said he “loathes” the idea of offering “baubles” to young people, after senior Tories scrambled to come up with policies to woo the youth vote. | |
| Speaking at a packed fringe event on the third day of conference, he said: “It (conference) has now become like an American presidential convention where we just expect people to turn up and cheer the great and the good. | Speaking at a packed fringe event on the third day of conference, he said: “It (conference) has now become like an American presidential convention where we just expect people to turn up and cheer the great and the good. |
| “Perhaps not even American but Kim Jong-un style – if you don’t clap for long enough you’ll get in real trouble.” | |
| Labour has grabbed the momentum “in all senses” and the Tories need to show the public what they believe in, he told the Policy Exchange event. | Labour has grabbed the momentum “in all senses” and the Tories need to show the public what they believe in, he told the Policy Exchange event. |
| Mr Rees-Mogg said: “The question on how we treat our members – we treat them appallingly. | |
| “We expect them to do all the work, deliver all the leaflets, knock on the doors, go out in the rain, then the Conservative Policy Forum (CPF) sends in its report and they get ignored.” | “We expect them to do all the work, deliver all the leaflets, knock on the doors, go out in the rain, then the Conservative Policy Forum (CPF) sends in its report and they get ignored.” |
| Asked about how to win over young people, the North East Somerset MP joked that he had “not been very good” at being young when he was young himself. | |
| He added: “In the last General Election we didn’t say anything at all to young people, we pretended they didn’t exist because we thought they wouldn’t, vote and we were wrong.” | |
| The arch-Brexiteer also said the Tories had been hampered by “deep sense of complacency”, failing to engage members and excite people about the EU divorce. | The arch-Brexiteer also said the Tories had been hampered by “deep sense of complacency”, failing to engage members and excite people about the EU divorce. |
| Mr Rees-Mogg has proved a major draw at an otherwise subdued Tory conference in Manchester, with lengthy queues for some of his events. | Mr Rees-Mogg has proved a major draw at an otherwise subdued Tory conference in Manchester, with lengthy queues for some of his events. |
| He was also mobbed by angry protesters at a Brexit fringe event, who branded him “despicable” for his views on abortion and spending cuts. | He was also mobbed by angry protesters at a Brexit fringe event, who branded him “despicable” for his views on abortion and spending cuts. |