Jacob Rees-Mogg Says He's Been "Champing At The Bit" To Discuss Boris Johnson's Court Case

7 June 2019, 19:04

Jacob Rees-Mogg told LBC he had been "champing at the bit" to discuss Boris Johnsons court case and issues "relating to freedom of speech."

Mr Rees-Mogg said: "Freedom of speech is so constrained," that when this "idiotic case" was brought for "political reasons" discussion of it was curtailed.

Jacob said that the Director of Public Prosecutions did not intervene, pointing out that the DPP Max Hill once called Boris Johnson a 'traitor' on Twitter.

The Tory MP said that the "nub of the issue" was that "this fellow called Ball" decided to crowdfund for a private prosecution.

Mr Rees-Mogg said that the issue was not that about how Mr Ball spent the money, "because some £300,000 apparently went on his living expenses, and cupcakes, and all sorts of jolly things like that."

He said it was whether "political debate should be pursued through the criminal courts."

"In my view, the £350m claim is one that is true, but wouldn't be my preferred figure," Jacob said.

He went on to explain the details behind the figure, and how it was worked out.

I think it's not a lie to say £376m a week was paid, but it wouldn't be my preferred figure," the MP said.

On the subject of prosecutions, he said: "Politics shouldn't be run by criminal prosecutions, that's what they do in states that are undeveloped democracies."

Watch the entire video at the top of the page, or watch the whole Jacob Rees-Mogg Show here.