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Jacob Rees-Mogg has hinted at a dramatic return to politics on the back of his fly-on-the-wall family documentary dubbed the “British Kardashians”.
Less than five months after spectacularly losing his North East Somerset seat, the former Tory minister, who once reportedly considered a bid to become party leader, will appear in the Discovery+ reality show, Meet The Rees-Moggs.
It marks a stark change in direction for the arch-Brexiteer who invited cameras into his 17th-century Somerset mansion, Gourney Court, to document family life with his wife, Helena, and their six children in the run-up to the general election.
Yet despite the first step into reality television and the end to his 14-year stint as a Tory MP, the divisive figure has still revealed he would like to return to Parliament.
Speaking during a cosy sit-down interview with comedian Matt Forde ahead of the show on Monday night, the GB News presenter discussed everything from abuse on the campaign trail to his fondness for Greggs’ cream buns.
And the 55-year-old said he hoped to make a return to frontline politics following his high-profile defeat at the general election to Labour’s Dan Norris.
“I’d love to stand again,” the former business secretary said. “I mean, I love being a member of Parliament. I love representing the seat I represented and found it a very worthwhile thing to do.”
Interviewed alongside his wife, the couple also discussed the abuse he faced during his career and the unsuccessful general election campaign, but dismissed the hatred as “part of political life”.
“When you choose to marry someone who is in politics, you have to be prepared to take the rough with the smooth,” Mrs Rees-Mogg said.
“That is just a part of political life. Not everyone will agree with the politician on everything, of course. Brexit, for example, everyone is entitled to their opinion and they are entitled to express it as long as it doesn’t tip over into physical violence.”
The pair recalled a moment during this year’s general election campaign when someone defaced a “Vote Jacob Rees-Mogg” banner outside his mother’s house with an obscenity.
Mr Rees-Mogg has also previously revealed how his 16-year-old son received hate mail following July’s election.
“I think some people didn’t want the Tories to win the election and I’m afraid some Tories probably damaged posters belonging to other parties too,” he said.
“That’s not something I would encourage, but it’s part of the fun of political life and it’s not very serious.
“It’s sticks and stones really, and it doesn’t really matter.”
The couple, who have an estimated fortune of £100m–£150m, also discussed their views on being perceived negatively by viewers of their documentary due to their vast wealth.
“I’ve always thought that you shouldn’t pretend to be something that you’re not, and I’ve always tried not to pretend to be something that I’m not,” the former leader of the House of Commons said.
He added: “So I don’t think anybody interested will be surprised that we live the way that we live and there’s no hiding it.”
Mrs Rees-Mogg concluded that she does not want her family to come across as “completely out of touch, awful people” in the series.
Meet the Rees-Moggs will stream on Discovery+ in the UK and Ireland from 2 December