Momentum vs Moggmentum: the campaign to unseat Jacob Rees-Mogg First, there was Momentum, the campaigning group on the left of the Labour Party which launched after the rise of […]

First, there was Momentum, the campaigning group on the left of the Labour Party which launched after the rise of Jeremy Corbyn and injected some youthful enthusiasm into this summer’s canvassing.

Then, there was Moggmentum, the Tory response to the burgeoning Corbynite meme culture which placed Jacob Rees-Mogg, the so-called “Honourable Member for the 18th Century”, at the centre of its viral efforts.

Now, finally, they are about to clash.

The i politics newsletter cut through the noise Email address is invalid Email address is invalid Thank you for subscribing! Sorry, there was a problem with your subscription.

Momentum and journalist Owen Jones have announced North East Somerset is next on their hit list as they travel the country on their “Unseat” campaign, canvassing against sitting Conservative MPs.

Rural constituency

They have already visited the seats of Justine Greening, Philip Davies and Iain Duncan-Smith, but Mr Rees-Mogg’s Somerset constituency could be more daunting.

The outspoken backbencher is well-entrenched in the largely rural constituency. He defeated Labour’s Dan Norris, the sitting MP, in 2010 after a change of boundaries and has received a majority of at least 10,000 in the two elections since.

However, Momentum claim the target is achievable, requiring a swing comparable to the 9.3 per cent that unseated Julian Brazier in Canterbury, which had been held by the Conservatives since its establishment as a constituency in 1918.

It’s also less than the swings achieved by Labour in Brighton Kemptown and Battersea, which saw Lloyd Russell-Moyle and Marsha de Cordova replace former Tory MPs Simon Kirby and Jane Ellison.

Mr Rees-Mogg appears not to be intimidated, however, telling i: “Political debate is something I always welcome, It is democracy in action. Ultimately the people of North East Somerset with their usual good sense will decide.”

Eurosceptic

Mr Rees-Mogg is a prominent Eurosceptic, declaring Mark Carney, the Governor of the Bank of England, an “enemy of Brexit”. His opposition to abortion and same sex marriage have caused controversy as his profile has risen.

Emma Rees, Momentum’s National Coordinator, said: “That Jacob Rees-Mogg has become the emblem of the Tory grassroots should horrify the decent majority of Britain. From opposing equal rights for LGBTQ people to opposing women’s right to choose – even when they’ve been raped – his views belong in the 18th century.”

However, without an election on the horizon and with Mr Rees-Mogg on the backbenches rather than in Government, there may be questions about how effective any campaign might be.

Momentum has not confirmed a date for its training sessions and “mass canvassing event” yet, although Boris Johnson’s Uxbridge seat is due for a visit this weekend.

Rees-Mogg memes, generated on Facebook by groups such as “Middle Class Memes For Rees-Moggian Teens” and “Can’t Clog The Mogg” and on Twitter by the short-lived Activate group, have earned occasional viral status.