Rees-Mogg: Tories don't wear masks in Parliament because we are friends

21 October 2021, 17:28

Rees-Mogg: Tories don't need to wear masks as they're friends

By James Morris

Jacob Rees-Mogg has said Tory MPs don’t wear face masks in the House of Commons because they are friends with each other.

The Commons leader suggested Conservative MPs don’t need coverings because they "know each other" and have a "convivial, fraternal spirit" compared to opposition MPs.

In doing so, he was shooting down health secretary Sajid Javid’s call, made at a Downing Street coronavirus press conference last night, for his Tory colleagues to "set an example" and wear masks in the often-crowded chamber.

Labour's shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth later told LBC's Shelagh Fogarty that the "government are all over the shop on this... there are more flip-flops than Boris Johnson's holiday in Marbella".

Rees-Mogg's comments on masks came in a week when Covid infections have continued to rise, and daily reported deaths reached a seven-month high.

Most Tory MPs, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, have chosen not to wear face masks in the Commons since Covid restrictions were lifted
Most Tory MPs, including Jacob Rees-Mogg, have chosen not to wear face masks in the Commons since Covid restrictions were lifted. Picture: Alamy/Getty

Since England’s Covid restrictions were lifted on 19 July, opposition MPs have pointedly continued to wear masks in the Commons – while a vast majority of Tory MPs have not.

Current guidance is to wear masks in crowded and enclosed spaces where individuals "come into contact with people you don't normally meet".

Government 'all over the shop' on mask-wearing, says Jonathan Ashworth

And Mr Rees-Mogg told MPs in the Commons today: "There is no advice to wear face masks in workplaces.

"The advice on crowded spaces is with crowded spaces with people that you don't know. We on this side know each other."

Aiming a jibe at SNP counterpart Pete Wishart, who had quizzed Mr Rees-Mogg about Mr Javid’s advice, he joked that "it may be that the honourable gentleman doesn't like mixing with his own side… but we on this side have a more convivial, fraternal spirit, and therefore are following the guidance of Her Majesty's Government".

Read more: Health Minister: 'Go ahead' and book Christmas parties but come forward for booster jab

Yesterday, mask-less Tories surrounded Boris Johnson in a packed chamber during Prime Minister's Questions.

Today, however, noticeably more Conservative MPs chose to wear masks in the chamber through the morning's debates – despite it not being packed.

Mr Rees-Mogg, though, did not.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Israel Palestinians Britain Aid

UN top court orders Israel to open more land crossings into Gaza

Greece Confidence Vote

Greece’s government survives no-confidence motion called over rail disaster

A council has had to apologise following the incident.

Fury as parents offered version of school class photo without complex needs pupils

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Conjoined twin who shot to fame with sister on The Oprah Winfrey Show marries army veteran in private ceremony

Israel Palestinians UN Security Council

Russia ‘abolishes’ monitoring of sanctions on North Korea with UN veto

Firefighters at the scene of a bus crash in Limpopo

Bus plunges from bridge in South Africa and erupts into flames, killing 45 and leaving child, 8, as lone survivor

Music-Green Day UN

Green Day to headline UN-backed global climate concert

Exclusive
Starmer has vowed to resurrect Boris Johnson's 'Levelling Up' policy

Failure to ‘level up’ Britain would be ‘catastrophic’, Wes Streeting admits, as Starmer vows to resurrect Johnson policy

Border Force staff will walk out from April 11

Hundreds of Border Force officers at Heathrow Airport to stage four-day strike

Stephen Bear was ordered to pay Ms Harrison £5,000.

Disgraced reality TV star Stephen Bear ordered to pay £27,000 over revenge porn conviction or face nine months in jail

Sam Bankman-Fried

FTX founder Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison for crypto fraud

Exclusive
Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

Covid no excuse for death of Finley Boden who was murdered by drug-addled parents, child protection chief says

France Valentino

Former Gucci designer Alessandro Michele named Valentino creative director

Know your limits this summer, Brits have been warned

‘Know your limits’: Brits heading to the Euros this summer warned against drinking ‘too much German beer’

Russia Shooting

Russia arrests another suspect in concert hall attack that killed 143

Sam Bankman-Fried has been jailed for 25 years for a $8bn crypto fraud

'Crypto King' Sam Bankman-Fried jailed for 25 years for stealing billions of dollars from his customers