Jacob Rees-Mogg Makes Swift Exit While Canvassing After Grenfell Is Mentioned

Conservative MP and Leader of the House of Commons Jacob Rees-Mogg was canvassing for votes in England on November 28, when he made a quick exit after a constituent brought up comments regarding the Grenfell Tower Fire.

Carl Mungai recorded this video outside his home in Monkton Combe, where Rees-Mogg was campaigning for the December 12 general election. Mungai can be heard asking Rees-Mogg, “so on the Grenfell thing,” as another person not seen in the video cuts in and finishes the question, “Do you feel ashamed?”

Rees-Mogg is quiet before he responds, saying, “I’m just here to canvass.” He hands Mungai a pamphlet before his swift exit, telling Mungai, “I’d be delighted to hear from you.”

Mungai attempts to stop Rees-Mogg, saying he has other things to ask, to no avail. He then calls after the politician: “Run, run, run away – bye bye – it was lovely to meet you!”

During an interview with LBC radio on November 4, Rees-Mogg made comments about the Grenfell Tower Fire, which killed 72 people.

He told the host, Nick Ferrari, “The more one’s read over the weekend about the report and about the chances of people surviving, if you just ignore what you’re told and leave you are so much safer.”

Adding, “I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the commonsense thing to do. And it is such a tragedy that that didn’t happen.”

Rees-Mogg apologized on November 5 for the comments, which were widely decried as insensitive. Credit: Carl Mungai via Storyful