Woke fury as Rees-Mogg blasts ‘lefty loonies’ targeting ‘magnificent Albert memorial'

Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has launched a scathing attack on the charity which manages London’s parks after its website described a memorial to Prince Albert, Queen Victoria’s husband, as “highly offensive” and “drawing on racial stereotypes”.

The former Tory MP was commenting on a description of the famous landmark on the Royal Parks website, specifically statues which it describes as problematic “because colonialism often relied on the oppression and exploitation of people, resources and cultures”.

Speaking on GB News, Sir Jacob, who lost his seat at the July 4 general election, described the memorial, which was placed in the park in 1872, as representing Britain at the "high water mark”’ of its history and power.

He said: “In the latest attempt to whitewash our history, the Royal Parks has stated on its website that the Albert Memorial situated in Hyde Park is deemed to be offensive.

“The magnificent structure designed by Gilbert Scott as a memorial to Queen Victoria's husband is a tourist favourite and represents Britain at the high watermark of its history and power.

“It seems though that we have an early contender for wet wipe of the week as the website decries its supposed racial stereotypes.”

Sir Jacob continued: “The memorial features four statues showing the people and animals of each of the continents.

“Despite Europeans also being among the people depicted in traditional clothing, there was no picture of me in a tailcoat and a top hat, I'm sorry to say.

“The structure has stood for over 150 years and been a symbol of national achievement.

Since when will these lefty loonies get a grip, drop the hair shirt, and take some pride in our and their glorious history?”

The Royal Parks statement, which today appears to have been removed from the website, added: “Representation of certain continents draws on racial stereotypes that are now considered offensive.

One statue near the top of the monument, which is actually located in Kensington Gardens close to Hyde Park, shows the figure of a European woman reading a book to an African man.

The statement on the Royal Parks website said: “Victorian guidebooks to the memorial describe how this ‘uncivilised’ man hunches over his bow.

“This pose was intended to represent him ‘rising up from barbarism’, thanks to his western teacher.”

Debates over the nation’s cultural heritage have raged in recent years, with a statue in memory of slave trader Sir Edward Colston in Bristol famously thrown into the River Avon in 2020.

A Royal Parks this morning said: "We regularly review and update information about our landscape and heritage features across all our parks. We acknowledge that there are differing views on the historical context of many memorials.

"While we always aim to present information in a factual way, in light of recent feedback, we will review the online information we have provided to tell the story of the Albert Memorial."