Jacob Rees-Mogg explanation of the PM’s fine wasn’t the defence he thought it was

Oonagh Keating. Updated April 24th, 2022

The Partygate row rumbles on, despite a barrage of attempted deflections from the PM and his allies.

Arguments in support of Johnson include –

It was only nine minutes

The cake stayed in the box

He didn’t realise it was a party

He didn’t realise a party was against the rules

But Ukraine …

On Newsnight, Jacob Rees-Mogg touched on one of the main arguments – that Boris Johnson was found to have broken the rules by the Met Police, immediately accepted the fine and apologised for his behaviour but did nothing wrong.

..The Prime Minister thought he was within the rules

..The police thought otherwise#Newsnight Jacob Rees Mogg pic.twitter.com/48LZN5iqSv

— UK is with EU (@ukiswitheu) April 19, 2022

The words ‘You what, mate?‘ spring to mind.

Ignorance of the law, especially your own law, is hardly a defence for a PM. pic.twitter.com/Pe5L0SfuKo

— Mike Galsworthy 🇺🇦 (@mikegalsworthy) April 20, 2022

Phew that's cleared that up….it's a bit like fake Christian Rees-Smug disagreeing with abortion but investing in a company that makes abortion pills ….right?#ToryScumOut https://t.co/roRkAmM8Tp

— Con O'Neill (@cononeilluk) April 20, 2022

So the legal verdicts of British police forces, as to criminality, are now merely opinions, with which educated fellows such as Rees Mogg and Johnson, are entitled to disagree, because their opinions differ…

— Alison Graham (@ecolitical) April 19, 2022

Has anyone ever tried that in front of a magistrate?

How did that work out? https://t.co/xKsCH2ugZl

— jimmy jones #FBPE #FBPEGlobal#UltraRemainer (@meh1771) April 19, 2022

Well your honour when i drove my car through the front of the bank and emptied the vault at gunpoint i thought i was within the rules

The police thought otherwise https://t.co/jWhMLEGN7X

— . (@Drewwwwww_) April 19, 2022

The Party of Law and Order – an important update. https://t.co/MyZV3PSfh4

— Jon Newton (@MrJonNewton) April 19, 2022

So is this legal precedent now? https://t.co/JsAMOzhojS

— christhebarker (@christhebarker) April 19, 2022

"I had 4 pints with my dinner. I thought I was OK to drive. The police thought otherwise. Who's to say who is right or wrong..? " https://t.co/klGIg4TPJL

— Gerry McK (@GMcK2012) April 19, 2022

And people voted for this man https://t.co/5WRkuRFyLq

— Keith Mullin/TheFarm (@KeithMullin) April 20, 2022

10.

Jacob Rees-Mogg is forever telling journalists & opposition MPs that they misunderstand

When he himself appears to be the most cloth eared of all Tory MPs#Newsnight

— David (@Zero_4) April 19, 2022

11.

So the police are wrong then @Jacob_Rees_Mogg ??? https://t.co/rGoGpav7qr

— Sir Mark Reeve (@Reeve98Mark) April 20, 2022

To put it in a nutshell.

So he broke the law then… https://t.co/DkRZSZhKac

— Rosemary Hill SMMS (@RoseHill797) April 19, 2022

Source Newsnight Image Screengrab