It is hard to see taxing plastic bags as one of the great issues of our time that merits the foremost place in our finest statesmen's minds. It is an absurd little issue, a picayune proportion of household waste, and a pointless inconvenience in people's lives.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

If you just ignore what you're told and leave, you are so much safer, and I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

world

The queen, her majesty, had no discretion over this. There is no precedent for the queen refusing a request by her prime minister under these circumstances.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

top-news

All these people who are wailing and gnashing of teeth know that there are two ways of doing what they want to do, one, is to change the government and the other is to change the law. If they do either of those that will then have an effect.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

top-news

The over-excited officials who have dreamt up this nonsense are clearly more students of fantasy than of history.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

world

I'm sure Theresa May does not want to split the Conservative Party and therefore she will find that the inevitable consequence of the parliamentary arithmetic is that she will need to change it (the Brexit policy) to keep the party united.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

world

It is crucially important as it shows how well founded concerns over the Chequers conclusions are, if the Brexit Secretary could not support them they cannot genuinely be delivering Brexit.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

top-news

I think, with a negotiation, you have to go in knowing what you want, knowing what your bottom line is, and knowing what you might accept if you're absolutely pushed.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

your go think you

Zero-hours contracts are a low proportion of the workforce; they provide a route into employment and flexibility for staff. They benefit business, consumers, and taxpayers by keeping costs down, and they boost productivity, allowing the efficient use of labour.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

low costs down business

A power of recall that depended solely on the electorate and was not subject to unnecessary hurdles of Parliamentary procedures would show trust in the good sense and fairness of the British people. In return, they might trust Parliamentarians a little more.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

good trust power people

Constitutionally, a revising chamber is useful and important. The first occasion I know of in history when the Lords fulfilled this role was in 1539 when Henry VIII's act of proclamations was neutered by their lordships so effectively that the Act was repealed in 1547.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

act know important history

Mark Carney is one of the enemies of Brexit. He has opposed it consistently.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

enemies brexit he mark

Lobbying has become a term of reproach, as if it were improper to push for a particular belief. This has happened because of paid lobbyists whose opinions are for hire and the fear that decision-makers, whether politicians or officials, are susceptible to their charms and wiles. This has tarred entirely proper lobbying with the same brush.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

politicians opinions push fear

One of the great constraints on economic growth and employment is that the tax and benefits system has grown up over generations and does not give the right incentives. Increasing the minimum wage does not solve this problem.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

great minimum-wage growth problem

A constitutional monarchy requires the monarch to be above politics but to be fully informed about politics.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

above about monarchy politics

Patience is a virtue; virtue is a grace.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

virtue grace patience

Free Trade puts consumers at the centre of economic activity. It lowers the cost of imports, which gives people the opportunity to buy more with the same amount of money: domestic producers have to compete with the lowest global costs or invest in new business.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

money business opportunity people

It is easy to defend the right of people to do things that fit in with the cultural norms of the majority. This includes practices that give personal pleasure but may be harmful, such as smoking or drinking. It is harder to argue for minority activities, especially those which stand out and may be obviously unsuitable in certain contexts.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

stand smoking easy people

Governments want to control information. To do this, they have elaborate systems for promoting themselves via propaganda departments and for ensuring confidentiality with official-secrets laws. There are good reasons for these: people need information, and national security deserves secrecy.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

control good information people

Extradition treaties date back at least to 1259 B.C., when the Hittite King Hattusili the Third and Ramesses the Second signed a treaty of 'peace and brotherhood for all time.' They have become more commonplace as international travel has become easier and sensibly streamlined.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

king time peace travel

Eschatological fears are an ancient human concern. The Romans expected the world to end in 634 B.C. owing to a prophecy involving twelve eagles, while the early Christians anticipated the Final Judgment in their own lifetimes. Pope Sylvester II thought A.D. 1000 would be the last year, a view updated for the modern age by the Millennium bug.

Jacob Rees-Mogg

end view age world