Jacob Rees-Mogg's defence of Angela Rayner's right to call Tories 'scum' misses the point
Amid the rise of autocratic populists and threats to freedom of speech, democratic politicians should treat each other with a basic level of respect
Former Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg is correct to say that Angela Rayner had a right to call Tories “scum”, a remark for which she later apologised, as he warned freedom of speech was “under attack”.
However, just because someone has the right to do something does not necessarily mean that it is the right thing to do. Rayner, now Deputy Prime Minister, deserved all the criticism she got for making such an inflammatory remark.
Democracy is about resolving our differences peacefully. Therefore, truly democratic politicians should show a basic level of respect to their opponents. It can be easy to get carried away in the heat of a fraught debate but speaking in a way that risks inciting hatred is clearly at odds with that duty.
At a time when autocratic populists are on the rise all over the world and freedom of speech – a concept absolutely fundamental to democracy – is under attack by those who wish to legislate away all our troubles, it has never been more important for politicians to understand our rights, defend them, and know how to use them responsibly.
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