Rees-Mogg calls for May to tear down tower blocks and build houses with gardens instead
TORY backbencher Jacob Rees-Mogg has called for tower blocks to be demolished to make way for the building of houses with gardens.
Jacob Rees-Mogg has called on the Government to tear down tower blocks
The Old Etonian urged Theresa May to deliver what the people want as he called out the Government for being “wrong” on high-rise buildings.
Mr Rees-Mogg spoke of Grenfell Tower, where a devastating fire claimed the lives of at least 80 people, as he brushed off claims he was making a bid for Mrs May’s job job.
Writing for the Daily Telegraph, the popular backbencher described tower blocks as the “physical embodiment of socialism”.
He wrote: “The Grenfell Tower was not created because people chose to live in tower blocks, not because, from the Second World War onward, officialdom wanted tower blocks - despite opinion surveys consistently showing that the overwhelmingly majority of people want to live in houses with gardens.
The devastating Grenfell Tower fire claimed the lives of at least 80 people
Jacob Rees-Mogg issues warning to 'rebellious cabinet'
Would it not be better to pull them down and build houses?
“But the state thought it knew best. Regrettably some Conservatives went along with this, though tower blocks are the physical embodiment of socialism.
“Would it not be better to pull them down, build houses, even if these require more space, which it often does not, and then sell them at a discount to the current occupants of tower blocks?
“It would help people have what they want and reinvigorate home ownership which creates stable society but also meets a natural, almost fundamental human ambition."
Mr Rees-Mogg also called on the Tory Government to scrap stamp duty as he took a swipe at Mrs May and her team.
The backbencher has ruled out making a bid for PM
But he ruled out making a bid for Downing Street saying he would rather be a “servant” of the Tory party.
He added: “I neither am a candidate, nor wish to be one, I want to be the servant of the Conservative Party, no its master.”
Mr Rees-Mogg has seen a groundswell of social media support in the wake of the snap general election, with a fan group known as “Moggmentum” calling for him to become the next PM.
Since being set up in June, one Twitter account associated with the “grass roots movement” already has nearly 46,000 followers.
Mr Rees-Mogg has also gathered a large following on Instagram, posting pictures of his family with funny captions.