Jacob Rees-Mogg Responds To Criticism Over Retweeting German Far-Right Leader
1 April 2019, 09:46
Jacob Rees-Mogg insisted he has done nothing wrong by retweeting a comment from the leader of Germany's far-right AdD party.
Alternative for Germany have been described as German nationalists and have been linked to far-right movements.
They came under fire for saying of black German footballer Jerome Boateng that while his performance on the pitch was good, people would not want "someone like Boateng as a neighbour."
Yesterday evening, Mr Rees-Mogg tweeted an article from leader Dr Alice Weidel and has been on the end of a twitter storm.
The AfD leader asks "Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?" https://t.co/hc7wtyLkiA
— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) March 31, 2019
Nick Ferrari asked Mr Rees-Mogg about the tweet and he responded: "No, I'm not supporting the AfD.
"This is a speech made in the Bundestag of real importance because it shows a German view of Brexit. It is saying to Germans, you're paying more for this and Angela Merkel has tied herself in knots with the French to the disadvantage of the Germans.
"I think it's important people know that this is a strand of German thinking.
"I don't think retweeting is an endorsement of things that other people stand for. It's just pointing out that there's something interesting which is worth watching."
Nick read out David Lammy's tweet about it:
Jacob Rees-Mogg promoting Germany's overtly racist party, AfD. Our country's proudest moment was defeating the far right. Now we are supposed to sit back while xenophobes, nativists, nationalists & isolationists do their best to tear Europe apart again. We must not let them win. https://t.co/L9QMLAzw1D
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) April 1, 2019
Mr Rees-Mogg had a very simple response: "Once again, Mr Lammy's reputation for under-statement is reinforced."
