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Jacob Rees-Mogg protester tells Brexiteer's children: 'Lots of people don’t like your daddy, do you know that?'

Activists confront Conservative MP over pay of family's long-time nanny

Tom Embury-Dennis
Wednesday 12 September 2018 15:03 BST
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Jacob Rees-Mogg protesters tell Brexiteer's children: 'Lots of people hate your daddy, do you know that?'

Jacob Rees-Mogg and his family have been ambushed by protesters outside his home in Westminster.

Footage posted on Tuesday by Class War, an organisation claiming to be a “working class action group”, showed police standing guard as a small group of demonstrators confronted the Conservative MP, his wife, four of his six children, and their nanny.

“Your dad won’t answer the question,” one man tells two of Mr Rees-Mogg’s children, after the Brexiteer refused to reveal how much their nanny was paid. “You’re daddy’s a totally horrible person, lots of people don’t like your daddy, do you know that?

“He’s probably not told you about that. Lots of people hate him.”

The protester continues to accuse Mr Rees-Mogg of failing to adequately pay the family nanny, and of disregarding the London Living Wage.

"Poor Nanny Crook who looks after you and wipes your bottom, she doesn't get enough money every week. Daddy doesn't care,” he says.

Protester confronts Jacob Rees-Mogg over his employment of a nanny (Facebook/Class War)

The nanny, Veronica Crook, who has worked for the Rees-Mogg family for more than 50 years, later steps out of the front door with two more of the politician’s children. She is asked by the same man how much she is paid. “I don’t need to tell that,” she says.

The activist tells her she has "Stockholm Syndrome", and accuses her of saying only “whatever the boss wants you to”.

Ms Crook continues to defend Mr Rees-Mogg.

“All I can tell you is I’m very happy,” she says.

As the Rees-Mogg family and the nanny retreat into the house, the man shouts: “Hey Mrs Rees-Mogg, we’ll be back every week, we aren’t going away!”

Helena de Chair, Mr Rees-Mogg’s wife, responds: “Don’t worry neither are we.”

Class War’s actions sparked criticism from both supporters and detractors of Mr Rees-Mogg.

"This is sick. You can see how upset his kids are,” Labour MP Stella Creasy said. "This isn't left-wing or justified. Whatever disagreements you have with Jacob Rees-Mogg, targeting his children and family is beyond the pale because no politician’s family should ever be considered fair game."

Yvette Cooper, Labour MP and former work and pensions secretary, said: “Leave the kids out of it. Don’t care what your views [are] on Jacob Rees-Mogg, it is disgraceful to target his family, and shameful when politics becomes personal abuse.

“Children and family are never fair game.”

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