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Jacob Rees-Mogg keeps cabinet job and tells MPs he’s a cartoon ‘expert’

Jacob Rees-Mogg in the House of Commons. Photograph: Parliament TV. Archant

Jacob Rees-Mogg declared himself an expert on cartoon characters in the House of Commons after keeping his job in Boris Johnson’s cabinet.

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Despite some rumours the Brexiteer Tory MP could be demoted, the leader of the House of Commons returned to his post earlier.

In his latest appearance before MPs he drew upon Peppa Pig and Thomas The Tank Engine when jokingly challenged by Labour over comments from prime minister Boris Johnson's senior adviser.

Speaking ahead of the cabinet reshuffle, Dominic Cummings had suggested PJ Masks - a team of animated superheroes popular with children - could do a better job than all the cabinet.

Rees-Mogg joked to MPs: "As regard cartoon characters, I'm really quite an expert in that.

"As you can imagine with six children I watch a lot of cartoons and I'm really quite an expert in that.

"I'm actually quoting Daddy Pig, and I feel I have so much in common with Daddy Pig - certainly any DIY I try goes very badly wrong and is best left to others, and my children have me wrapped around their little finger."

He said his son Alfred would also want him to mention Thomas And Friends, noting: "The good news there is for Gordon because Gordon is going to be thundering down a new HS2 line in the not too distant future."

In 2018 comic book the Beano wrote to the arch-Brexiteer accusing him of copying Dennis the Menace's nemesis Walter the Softy.

Beano Studios warned in the mock legal note that his distinctive style is a rip-off of Walter and called on him to "cease and desist".

Alleged infringements of the comic's copyright including Walter's hair parting, round glasses, spotty ties and vintage apparel, and enjoyment of classical music.