JACOB Rees-Mogg out of touch? Perish the thought.
The Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency has been on a crusade recently to get supposedly work-shy civil servants back in the office.
The Tory has written to Cabinet ministers calling on them to issue a clear message to staff about a “rapid return to the office” and has been leaving notes in empty Whitehall workspaces with the message: “I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon.”
He’s also backing Boris Johnson’s plan of slashing around 90,000 Whitehall jobs in a bid to save taxpayers’ money.
But after a photo was shared of Rees-Mogg in his Westminster office, social media users started to doubt his credentials as efficiency minister.
The picture, from the Telegraph, shows a smiling Rees-Mogg behind his large desk. Eagle-eyed readers noted there was something missing, however.
Telegraph Associate Editor Christopher Hope tweeted: “No computer clogs up Jacob Rees-Mogg’s neat desk in Whitehall. Just a carriage clock, ‘in’ and ‘out’ trays, some writing paper and a box of Crème Eggs. Old paintings on the wall. This is office life as it should be!”
No computer clogs up @Jacob_Rees_Mogg’s neat desk in Whitehall. Just a carriage clock, ‘in’ and ‘out’ trays, some writing paper and a box of Crème Eggs. Old paintings on the wall. This is office life as it should be! pic.twitter.com/e1ZsPZDwLN
— Christopher Hope📝 (@christopherhope) May 14, 2022
Not everyone agreed.
Former SNP councillor Mhairi Hunter replied: “This will be why he doesn't understand working from home.”
Comedian Christopher Macarthur-Boyd commented: “How are you going to criticise people for working from home when you don’t even have an office in your office.”
how are you going to criticise people for working from home when you don’t even have an office in your office https://t.co/NG0kT3q46g
— christopher macarthur-boyd (@macarthurboyd) May 15, 2022
Labour MP Alex Sobel added: “Desk of deeply unproductive man living in the past!”
Amazingly, it seemed like just about everyone who saw the picture was far from impressed.
Pollster Mark McGeoghegan wrote: “Minister for Government Efficiency … Has a civil servant print off his emails and pop them in his in-tray.”
>Minister for Government Efficiency >Has a civil servant print off his emails and pop them in his in-tray https://t.co/KT7cSdU1Nv
— Mark McGeoghegan 🌻 (@markmcgeoghegan) May 15, 2022
Comic David Baddiel added: “Good example of how Rees-Mogg is basically cosplaying, to the applause of those who love the idea of that character, ‘Old-Style English Gent MP’. Because *of course* an MP needs a f****** computer. Where else would they get their porn, for a start?”
Another Twitter user posted: “Jacob Rees-Mogg is 5 days older than me, but somehow I got taught to progam computers at school & university and then continuously throughout my working life, but somehow he missed out completely.”
Given the social media reaction, it’s probably a good thing for Rees-Mogg that he doesn’t have a work computer.
