Mogg

I'm amazed that anyone can you that old chestnut 'taken out of context' in order to defend the indefensible

By suggesting that common sense meant people (like him) would have got out of the building, despite the advice to stay put, he inferred that those in the building lacked common sense.

Reece Mog said - if either of us were in a fire, despite what the fire service said, we'd leave a burning building...sseems the common sense thing to do

He should resign.

Andrew Bridgen- conservative MP - says "we want very clever people running the people don't we". That in response to the suggestion by a journalist that Mogg suggested he was more clever than the residents in Grenfell.

They keep digging don't they

We none of us know how we would behave in any given situation. I often find that people who think they would do the 'sensible ' thing ,don't when faced with a crisis . They totally lose it and can't function . I have met people who look like butter wouldn't melt in their mouths, they are frightened of getting hands dirty but when push comes to shove they have been , brave, sensible and taken charge. Mogg should shut up until he has faced a crisis and only then say what HE did, not criticise others.

Just to add, lots of education does not equal clever. They are two different things IMHO.

I wonder what the people living in identical blocks with the same cladding think of his comments, and indeed of his party's lack of urgency about removal of the cladding on their homes?

The idea that an apology makes it alright is unacceptable. It was a callous response and not worthy of someone in his position.

what a hurtful and disgusting thing to say, proves hes a a$$ole

I am no admirer of JRM. I would not vote for him or for his party. I do think, though, that he has been somewhat misinterpreted on this occasion. The tabloid tendency to reduce everything to a simple, easily comprehensible soundbite is very much in evidence.

Prof Mary Beard tweeted this yesterday:

"The UK will be doing a lot better when so many of us don’t confuse being clever (and I am all for being clever) with being a posh boy in a suit sprinkling Latin. (I am all for Latin too, but not the sprinkled variety!)"

I wonder whom she meant

I actually missed what Rees-Mogg said and I can't be bothered looking for it, but I despair when I read Andrew Bridgen's defence of him. It's not the first time that Rees-Mogg has been rude and dismissive. I thought the majority were fed up with the "elites", so I really don't understand why anybody can condone the attitude he and Johnson show towards the "plebs".

On a shallow note - I’m sure his suits are very expensive and bespoke, but why does he choose a double breasted huge jacket style that makes him look even more cadaverous, and looks like they don’t fit on the shoulders? ( I used to work in couture and tailoring so I notice this sort of thing)

I suspect they reinforces the image.

At least 18 children were killed in the disaster. Among them were a six-month-old baby, Leena Belkadi, and Logan Gomes, who was stillborn in hospital on the day

He's a piece of work isn't he?

I can understand someone saying that it was unfortunate that people were advised to stay put when the principle of that advice had been breached by the fire rapidly consuming the outside of the building - the compartmentalisation system had been overridden.

But his words were beyond crass - and the sight of Tories trying to excuse them is pitiful. He represents all that is wrong with the government - well ex-government at the moment.

One of his apologists described him as an "authority figure" - dear me. He does not even have authority over his own tongue as it unwittingly spews out evidence of his ivory tower mentality and absence of humanity.

George Monbiot

Rees-Mogg's comment reflects a core Conservative doctrine: blaming people for structural problems.
The poor are blamed for poverty.
Fat people are blamed for the obesity crisis.
And the #Grenfell victims are blamed for being murdered by the government's bonfire of regulations.

Phew, that's strong from George Monbiot and scarily accurate.

Will a Tory government make the survivors pay towards the removal of the tower as a labour government made the people of Aberfan pay towards the removal of the tips ?

It was known the tips were unsafe just as it was known the cladding on the tower was unsafe.

annie as far as I can remember a Labour government paid the money back in 1997 together with something like £1.5million as compensation for taking it in the first place .

Perhaps you will correct me if I’m wrong, only I’m sure you will remember.

Cannot hear anyone demanding Jeremy Corbyn resign over his support of the IRA "armed struggles", or any of the other enemies of the UK he has openly supported.........Oh of course not, that's ok because he is not an "Eton Educated Conservative"??????

We are not discussing the IRA. What on earth is wrong with people....the best they can come up with is whatabout comments.

Here's a thing.... I dont like what Mogg said and I don't like what Corbyn did.

GrannyGravy, quite! And no one will demand his resignation despite his appalling record of support for terrorists such as the IRA and HAMAS and other Palestinian terrorist groups. He is not fit to be PM with such a record, and whilst our Socialist grannies on Gransnet will throw up their hands in horror at my words, it is true, like it or not. It is documented.
Now I’m off to take my elderly mother to her hospital appointment, so not coming back on here. Have a nice day.

Good try anniebach - using a tragedy that happened in 1966 under a Labour government to try and discredit the current Labour Party - and, of course, have a go at Corbyn too.

Yes, the NCB, Robens and the Labour government behaved disgracefully and there should have been greater repercussions for those who ignored fears raised about the dangers of the slag heaps. But what has that to do with Grenfell and Rees-Mogg's comments?

I didn't know the then government made the people of Aberfan pay something towards removing the tips. That's diabolical!

Btw, threads wander. Always have done. Always will.

Well the usual ill-informed rants. Corbyn has never supported terrorists, he has advocated discussion and negotiation as the only means to establish a peace process and stop violence. He believed in a united Ireland- many of us still do. Talks are the only way any violence can be ended, but if you are happy to see the violence continue I suppose you wouldn't agree with him.

Well, I don't like this picture.

Gonegirl Strictly speaking it wasn't the people of Aberfan who paid, but money was taken from the money which was raised, which people had assumed would go towards helping them.

What the heck have Rees-Mogg's class and Eton education got to do with his appalling people skills and boorish behaviour? This isn't an isolated incident or slip of the tongue. I can't believe that people are suggesting that those who criticise him are motivated by class envy. He's not even "classy"!

JenniferEccles, we all know the reason for the bitter animosity about him on here is political.

Dare I say, people aren't using their common sense!