The Parliamentary constituency of North East Somerset (formerly known as Wansdyke) is squeezed between Bath to the north and the Mendip Hills to the south.
A largely rural area, it’s the sort of constituency that Tories believe is their right to govern. Funnily enough, it’s also the sort of area that the Lib Dems also believe makes up part of their so-called west country stronghold.
Each assertion is both arrogant and false.
Since Labour’s Dan Norris first fought the seat in 1992, local Conservatives have been irritated by his growing popularity. Since the old Tory MP retired in 1997, Wansdyke Tories have put up a series of young pretenders to oppose the popular Labour man.
Mark Prisk came down from London, pretended to live in the area, and lost. Chris Watt came and pretended to work in the area and lost (twice). Funnily enough, now that the aptly nicknamed Cllr Twatt really does live and work in the area, local Tories dropped him in favour of Old Etonian, Jacob Rees-Mogg. Probably because “Rees-Smugg” (as dubbed by Private Eye), also pretends to live in the area when his home is actually in central London.
The fight for selection as the Conservative candidate for this part of Somerset has divided Tory party members into two camps.
Fawning supporters of the landed gentry like the idea of the posh upper classes lauding it over them again. That’s the basis of support for fabulously wealthy Oxford graduates like “Call me Dave” Cameron, “We’re all innit together” Osborne, “Bullington Club Boris” Johnson and – you’ve guessed it – "Potted Plant" Jacob Rees-Mogg.
For a man born with a silver spoon in his mouth, as well as one shoved up his arse, Rees-Smugg has shown a remarkable tendency to invent new ways to create cock-ups.
Jacob Rees-Mogg was brought up in a Thatcherite household. Boarding school in Blandford Forum and Eton further rounded his vowels and led to a speaking voice that is more plumy than one might possibly imagine.
For someone who admits he is "not the most expert media performer", Rees-Smugg is no stranger to pronouncing in public. Aged 12 he complained at General Electric’s AGM about the “pathetic dividend” his shares were acquiring. Interviewed by the Daily Express he opined that he planned to be a millionaire at 21, a multimillionaire at 40, and Prime Minister at 70, “when I've made enough money to waste some on politics”.
When reminded of this a few years ago, he sheepishly admitted: “I was very good on Tory propaganda as a 12-year-old.”
He’s still a pretty good liar now.
For example, Rees-Smugg bangs on about being “A Somerset Man for North Somerset”, claiming to live in the North East Somerset constituency. He reportedly told a Wells Rotary Club dinner in October 2007 that he had lived in Somerset for 300 years.
But “Homes and Property” informs us earlier this year that his sister, the fragrant Annunziata, lives with Jacob “and his family in Westminster” during the week. She, like brother Jacob, commutes to the west country at weekends to campaign as a “local” Tory candidate.
Even a Conservative Party website happily tells us that Rees-Smugg held “a fundraising event" at his millionaire’s home in Westminster for his campaign in Somerset. A helpful map and address is provided, allowing Google street view to give us a glimpse of his little terraced house just off Park Lane. Hmmmm, nice car Jacob.
Jacob’s lackeys (bring your own nanny and maid) are also helping him peddle more lies by claiming the credit for government investment in the area.
The local unitary authority (BANES Council) is Tory controlled and Rees-Smugg is happy to promote porky-pies regularly pushed out by their pet spin-doctors and slippery Conservative councillors.
One Rees-Smugg leaflet doing the rounds in Midsomer Norton, at the southern edge of North East Somerset, outlines some of the things local Conservatives have apparently achieved in the past year. These include: “The start of a massive £2.5m overhaul of children’s play areas throughout the area, including Midsomer Norton.” Only the £2.5 million mentioned is actually part of a national Labour government scheme (Play Pathfinder) and Tory B&NES hasn’t contributed a penny.
Rees-Smugg is a local liability – probably the best thing to have happened to the Labour Party in the area for years. The more gaffes he makes, the more lies he promotes, the more Dan Norris’ chances of being re-elected increase.
But there’s not much prospect of Tory grandees dropping him in favour of someone like former losing candidate Chris Watt. He’s just as big a liar as the current prospective candidate but not as big in the landed gentry connections.
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