Tory leadership hopeful Jacob Rees-Mogg says he is against marriage equality and abortion in any circumstance
(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
A Tory MP who is gunning for the leadership of the party has said that he is against marriage equality and abortion under any circumstance.
Speaking on Good Morning Britain, Jacob Rees-Mogg shared the controversial views and refused to rule out the notion that he could become the next Prime Minister.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, tipped as next leader of the Conservative party, tells @gmb he's against gay marriage and abortion in any circumstances
— Susanna Reid (@susannareid100) September 6, 2017
When asked if he was in favour of same-sex marriage, the back bencher said that he was not because of his religion.
“I’m a Catholic, I take the teaching of the Catholic church seriously.
“Marriage is a sacrament and the view of what marriage is taken by the Church, not Parliament”.
“I support the teaching of the Catholic church. The marriage issue is the important thing, this is not how people arrange their lives,” he said.
Jacob Rees Mogg on GMB (ITV)
Related: Theresa May: Conservatives were wrong in the past on LGBT rights, but we’ve come a long way
However, Rees-Mogg tried to back his claims by saying that it was no longer a political issue for the Conservative party and that “he who is without sin should cast the first stone”.
The MP for North-East Somerset also said that he did not agree with abortion, even in extreme circumstances such as rape.
“I am completely opposed to abortion, life begins at the point of conception.
“With same-sex marriage, that is something that people are doing for themselves.
“With abortion, that is what people are doing to the unborn child,” he said.
Jacob Rees-Mogg's hardline comments on @GMB today re gay marriage & abortion now making lots of headlines.
Is it his Tim Farron moment?— Piers Morgan (@piersmorgan) September 6, 2017
Rees-Mogg has a handful of supporters who believe he would be a good replacement for Theresa May.
When aksed about his place in the Government, he said that he would not currently stand for leadership because it would be “vanity”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg with former UKIP leader Nigel Farage (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)
However, when pressed by GMB host Piers Morgan, Rees-Mogg dodged the question.
“You are a favourite to replace Theresa May as Conservative leader, people are now mobbing you in the street,” Morgan asked. “You’re becoming a bit of a pin-up to ladies of a certain disposition.”
“You are significantly overstating it. This is all good silly season stuff, it was fun in August when there wasn’t much news about,” Rees-Mogg responded.
“I fully support Mrs May, I want her to remain leader of the Tory party, there isn’t a leadership election and if there were I would not be a candidate.
“I am a backbench MP, in the history of the Prime Ministership [the job] has never gone to a backbench MP.
“The circumstances in which someone in my position would become leader of the party would not exist,” he added when pushed further.
He then said that he was “99 percent” sure he would not become Prime Minister but refused to say out right that it would never be a possibility.
PinkNews revealed in 2015 that Rees-Mogg has criticised Prime Minister David Cameron during a Conservative conference call, accusing him of “alienating” people over same-sex marriage.
Mr Rees-Mogg is a long-standing opponent of same-sex marriage, saying in 2013 that he will choose to be “whipped” by the Catholic Church rather than by his party.
He previously criticised the Prime Minister over the policy, suggesting Conservative activists who agreed with him would “join UKIP in protest”.
Watch the full interview with Jacob Rees-Mogg on Good Morning Britain below:
