Move over Momentum, the ultra-posh, anti-EU, anti-gay marriage Tory MP has his own movement to rival Jeremy Corbyn’s

Name: Moggmentum

Age: Fresh as a daisy.

Appearance: Pseudo-ironic.

Eh? Yes, it is quite complicated. Let’s just say it appears that the Corbyn fundamentalists of Momentum now have a serious rival in Moggmentum – the movement that wants the Tory MP Jacob Rees-Mogg to replace Theresa May as prime minister. If they are serious.

Why wouldn’t they be? Have you ever seen Rees-Mogg on TV?

No. It’s like someone pretending to be posh to win a bet. He is the son of Lord Rees-Mogg, former editor of the Times. He was educated at Eton and Oxford before going on to work in the City. As an aspiring MP he toured Fife in a Mercedes with his nanny. He lives in an actual mansion called Gournay Court.

Jacob Rees-Mogg is a cautionary tale for our times | Catherine Bennett Read more

Crikey. So not exactly a man of the people? Au contraire. And he makes no effort to hide it. He is very religious, sceptical about climate change, hates the EU and opposes gay marriage.

I see why some Tories would like the sound of that, but do they really think he would be electable? You sound like the infidels who doubted Corbyn!

He wasn’t elected. Never mind that. The point is that being unelectable might make you electable these days.

What? People are so fed up with politicians pretending to be likable that they prefer politicians to be unlikable – as proof that they are not pretending. Corbyn, Sanders and Trump sound so unelectable that they must be sincere. In theory. Maybe Rees-Mogg is next?

Is that what he wants? Good question. He plays up to his fans on social media quite a bit.

The Moggies? The Rees-Moggistas? That has yet to be decided. But with their support he finished as second favourite in a leadership poll on conservativehome.com, despite not being listed as an option.

Does Rees-Mogg admit his lust for power? No. But he has done lots of non-denying. Asked on Sunday whether he would like to succeed Theresa May, he said: “I wouldn’t put any money on it.” Two Sunday newspapers report that he is thinking about standing, even though he says “it is unrealistic for me to go from the backbenches to being leader”.

Isn’t that just what Jeremy Corbyn did two years ago? Oh yes. How forgetful of him.

Do say: “So 2022 could be a retro-lection, pitting 1950s Labour against 1950s Tory?”

Don’t say: “Try to think of it as a reboot instead.”