Jacob Rees-Mogg clashed with Novara Media’s Michael Walker on his GB News show over the rising cost of civil servants.
The Tory MP ramped up his long-running feud with public sector workers after he went to war with ‘the blob’ as government efficiency minister.
Infamously, he left notes on their desks in Whitehall, saying: “Sorry you were out when I visited. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon. With every good wish, Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP.”
Earlier this year, the former cabinet minister shared a story by the Daily Mail about a planned strike by civil servants, commenting: “If they are not in the office will anyone notice?”
And on his GB News show on Wednesday, he went for the public sector again – this time evoking Britain’s colonial past to make his point.
In an opening monologue, Rees-Mogg suggested when “Britannia ruled the waves” it did so “frugally and efficiently”, and claimed: “If we could rule a quarter of the world’s population with 175 Foreign Office staff, there’s no reason why we cannot run our island nation today with 40,000 civil servants.”
His numbers are widely disputed.
He then clashed with Walker, who pointed out that cuts to the civil service is what has led to thousands of migrants being housed in hotels and on barges.
Watch the clip in full below:
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