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Abdul.
Jacob Rees-Mogg: We went in search of the missing-in-action Tory minister
Tracking down a Tory minister who has gone AWOL is no easy task. But we headed off for a Somerset adventure - and caught up with some of the people he represents
There's a picture and the caption reads: “It was a pleasure to meet Abdul,
It was always going to be a tough assignment: tracking down a Tory minister who has gone missing in action.
But that was the quest set by the Mirror newsdesk – find Jacob Rees-Mogg , the high-profile Conservative who has vanished from radar.
Those incidents were enough for Tory high command, who banished the gaffe-prone politician from the frontline until after polling day.
He has not been seen in front a TV camera or radio microphone since.
So where is Rees-Mogg? Is he lying low in the countryside, campaigning to retain to his North East Somerset seat?
I set off to find out.
With the radio tuned to Classic FM for the authentic Rees-Mogg soundtrack, I began the 125-mile odyssey to his backyard.
However, perhaps he is seeking divine intervention and reassurance in the run-up to polling day.
The devout Catholic has, after all, spoken of trying to recite the rosary every day.
Our first stop is Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Chew Magna.
There is no sign of him among the empty pews but outside, car restorer Phil Gibson, 60, provides the first breakthrough.
“I've seen him in our village – he came round with his missus and said hello last week,” reveals Phil, of Ubley.
“He seemed fine. Unfortunately he met my wife, who gave him short shrift.
“She doesn't agree with some of his points of view.
“I don't agree with him in terms of exiting (the EU).
On Chew Magna high street, Sandi Gatton, 51, is standing outside her gift shop.
“I've seen his house but I've never seen him round here,” she says, adding: “I think he's a twit.”
Butcher John Smith confides: “The last election was the last time I saw him.”
Back in the car bumping along on potholed country lanes, we spy a Tory Party stake board bearing Rees-Mogg's name.
At The Barber Company hairdressers, Zoe Kondratowicz, 42, bursts out laughing when I ask if she has seen our prey.
Then she says something I can't write in a family newspaper.
“I've never seen him, he's a b***-**d,” she declares.
Zoe's colleague Deb Anderson, 57, confirms Rees-Mogg – usually an enthusiastic fan of cuts – has not been in for a trim.
Further into town, a tattoo artist preparing to ink a client says Rees-Mogg “has been on the high street recently but he definitely hasn't been in for a tattoo”.
He adds: “I'm Labour through and through so I'm not a big fan.”
We leave Midsomer frustrated but soon, at 12.59pm, we have a surprise boost: the man himself has tweeted!
There's a picture and the caption reads: “It was a pleasure to meet Abdul, manager of Midsomer Pharmacy.
“I would like to thank all the pharmacists in North East Somerset who provide such an excellent service.”
We perform a U-turn and head back to Midsomer; how has our quarry evaded us?
Pharmacy manager Abdul Rahman clears up the confusion – the encounter happened two days ago.
“Because of, I think, his snobbishness, his accent and his way with words sometimes, he comes across as a bit out of touch.
“One or two of his comments shouldn't have been made.”.
Abdul believes Rees-Mogg's “insensitive, off-the-cuff” remarks over Grenfell are to blame for his airwave silence.
“As a public figure, he should have been a bit more careful about what he said,” he adds.
Sarah Fan, 40, tells us: “I've not seen him but when he was on the election trail in 2017 he came in for lunch with his canvassers.
“We had the Liberal Democrats in earlier, though.”
It's time to reassess.
Peering across rolling fields with my binoculars, I can see only one woman, two dogs, three horses, two cows and seven telegraph poles.
Crucially, no multi-millionaire Old Etonian wearing a blue rosette.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jacob-rees-mogg-went-search-20958828
Tracking down a Tory minister who has gone AWOL is no easy task. But we headed off for a Somerset adventure - and caught up with some of the people he represents
There's a picture and the caption reads: “It was a pleasure to meet Abdul,
It was always going to be a tough assignment: tracking down a Tory minister who has gone missing in action.
But that was the quest set by the Mirror newsdesk – find Jacob Rees-Mogg , the high-profile Conservative who has vanished from radar.
Those incidents were enough for Tory high command, who banished the gaffe-prone politician from the frontline until after polling day.
He has not been seen in front a TV camera or radio microphone since.
So where is Rees-Mogg? Is he lying low in the countryside, campaigning to retain to his North East Somerset seat?
I set off to find out.
With the radio tuned to Classic FM for the authentic Rees-Mogg soundtrack, I began the 125-mile odyssey to his backyard.
However, perhaps he is seeking divine intervention and reassurance in the run-up to polling day.
The devout Catholic has, after all, spoken of trying to recite the rosary every day.
Our first stop is Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Chew Magna.
There is no sign of him among the empty pews but outside, car restorer Phil Gibson, 60, provides the first breakthrough.
“I've seen him in our village – he came round with his missus and said hello last week,” reveals Phil, of Ubley.
“He seemed fine. Unfortunately he met my wife, who gave him short shrift.
“She doesn't agree with some of his points of view.
“I don't agree with him in terms of exiting (the EU).
On Chew Magna high street, Sandi Gatton, 51, is standing outside her gift shop.
“I've seen his house but I've never seen him round here,” she says, adding: “I think he's a twit.”
Butcher John Smith confides: “The last election was the last time I saw him.”
Back in the car bumping along on potholed country lanes, we spy a Tory Party stake board bearing Rees-Mogg's name.
At The Barber Company hairdressers, Zoe Kondratowicz, 42, bursts out laughing when I ask if she has seen our prey.
Then she says something I can't write in a family newspaper.
“I've never seen him, he's a b***-**d,” she declares.
Zoe's colleague Deb Anderson, 57, confirms Rees-Mogg – usually an enthusiastic fan of cuts – has not been in for a trim.
Further into town, a tattoo artist preparing to ink a client says Rees-Mogg “has been on the high street recently but he definitely hasn't been in for a tattoo”.
He adds: “I'm Labour through and through so I'm not a big fan.”
We leave Midsomer frustrated but soon, at 12.59pm, we have a surprise boost: the man himself has tweeted!
There's a picture and the caption reads: “It was a pleasure to meet Abdul, manager of Midsomer Pharmacy.
“I would like to thank all the pharmacists in North East Somerset who provide such an excellent service.”
We perform a U-turn and head back to Midsomer; how has our quarry evaded us?
Pharmacy manager Abdul Rahman clears up the confusion – the encounter happened two days ago.
“Because of, I think, his snobbishness, his accent and his way with words sometimes, he comes across as a bit out of touch.
“One or two of his comments shouldn't have been made.”.
Abdul believes Rees-Mogg's “insensitive, off-the-cuff” remarks over Grenfell are to blame for his airwave silence.
“As a public figure, he should have been a bit more careful about what he said,” he adds.
Sarah Fan, 40, tells us: “I've not seen him but when he was on the election trail in 2017 he came in for lunch with his canvassers.
“We had the Liberal Democrats in earlier, though.”
It's time to reassess.
Peering across rolling fields with my binoculars, I can see only one woman, two dogs, three horses, two cows and seven telegraph poles.
Crucially, no multi-millionaire Old Etonian wearing a blue rosette.
https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/jacob-rees-mogg-went-search-20958828
Comments
He looks pretty much like the bloke the taxi picked up.