Jacob Rees-Mogg: Ruth Davidson should not be allowed to marry

Leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg has reaffirmed his opposition to gay marriage by arguing that Ruth Davidson should not be allowed to marry her partner.

By The Newsroom Wednesday, 23rd May 2018, 2:51 pm Updated Wednesday, 23rd May 2018, 2:56 pm

The Conservative MP praised his party’s leader in Scotland as a “formidable person with great political skills” during an appearance on the BBC’s Daily Politics show yesterday.

He was then asked: “But you wouldn’t support her marriage to the woman she wants to marry?”

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Rees-Mogg said: “This is a sacramental issue. The sacrament of marriage is one that is defined by the church, not by the state, and the sacrament of marriage is available to a man and a woman. And this is the teaching of the Catholic Church which I accept.”

Jacob Rees-Mogg was speaking on a BBC political show

Pressed on the issue, Rees-Mogg was asked if he accepted his views might be a problem for many people.

He said he was not criticising any of his colleagues before clashing with journalist Jo Coburn accusing her of “picking on the Catholic Church”. Coburn denied his claim and said she believed in “religious freedom”.

“I am a practising Catholic and I believe in the teachings of the Catholic Church,” Rees-Mogg said.