Jacob Rees-Mogg: Downing Street asked Queen to make Brexit intervention
2 min read
The Queen called for British people to find "common ground" over Brexit at the request of the Government, Jacob Rees-Mogg has claimed.
The monarch made the surprise intervention into the Brexit debate in a speech to an event marking 100 years of Sandringham Women's Institute in Norfolk.
She said: "The continued emphasis on patience, friendship, a strong community focus, and considering the needs of others, are as important today as they were when the group was founded all those years ago.
"Of course, every generation faces fresh challenges and opportunities. As we look for new answers in the modern age, I for one prefer the tried and tested recipes, like speaking well of each other and respecting different points of view; coming together to seek out the common ground; and never losing sight of the bigger picture."
But Mr Rees-Mogg told The Times he had no doubt the Government had put the 92-year-old monarch up to it.
He said: "Constitutionally, the Queen can only speak on the advice of her ministers and could not have said this without the agreement of the Government. This is not the Queen’s point of view; it is Her Majesty’s Government speaking. There is not a private view of the Queen.
“It is sensible for the Government to encourage Her Majesty to intervene. It is perhaps a reminder to MPs to respect the constitutional norms and that nobody ever gets exactly what they want in politics. Calmness and goodwill is a better solution than endless rows," he added
Meanwhile, Chancellor Phillip Hammond backed the Royal call for calm. He said: “I don’t think anybody will be at all surprised to hear the Queen advocating the view that in all things controversial we should seek compromise, we should seek common ground and we should seek a way forward.”
His Cabinet colleagues Matt Hancock and Amber Rudd also reportedly expressed agreement with the Queen's comments.
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