London — Clips from GB News show former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees‑Mogg referencing the historic suspension of habeas corpus after a guest suggested locking up “pro‑Russian” voices. Days earlier, a separate clip captured Rees‑Mogg telling Britons to “join the armed services,” “do their duty,” and face “circumstances in which people have to die … to save their country.”
On air: ‘Lock a few people up’—and a habeas corpus reply
On the September 21 edition of Jacob Rees‑Mogg’s State of the Nation on GB News, former Labour adviser Paul Richards said, “We would have to lock a few people up, by the way: some of the pro‑Russian voices, people who say there isn’t a threat, don’t fight for your country, don’t go to war … we’ll have to lock ’em up.” The exchange was circulated the next day by Member of Parliament Andrew Bridgen on X (formerly Twitter), which included Richards’ remarks and Rees‑Mogg’s response.
In reply, Rees‑Mogg said, “Well, we suspended habeas corpus under the Napoleonic wars.” The source article attributes both the guest’s comment and Rees‑Mogg’s reply to that GB News segment and the posted clip.
Days earlier: ‘Join the armed services’ and ‘do their duty’
On September 20, a clip shared on X by the account HIN News showed Rees‑Mogg saying the United Kingdom may face war “over the next few years” and urging people to “join the armed services,” “do their duty,” and “face circumstances in which people have to die … to save their country, as they did in the First and Second World Wars, and in many other wars before and since.”
Media backdrop: Sky launches ‘The Wargame’
On September 21, Sky began airing The Wargame, a series that simulates a Russian attack on the U.K. with a “cabinet” of formerly high‑ranking politicians from across parties, according to the source.
Why a Catholic outlet is pressing Rees‑Mogg
LifeSiteNews—a Catholic publication—argues that Rees‑Mogg’s recent war‑and‑security rhetoric sits uncomfortably alongside past statements it highlights:
- In 2016, Rees‑Mogg reportedly called David Cameron “the most Christian prime minister in 50 years” at an event at the London Oratory. The source cites author Daniel Blackman’s account of the gathering and notes Cameron’s 2013 legalization of same‑sex marriage, a 2012 speech advocating wider access to contraception at the London Summit on Family Planning, and a 2008 position supportive of existing law permitting abortion of disabled babies up to birth, including a letter to SPUC calling wider access to abortion “practical and sensible.”
- In November 2020, Rees‑Mogg described Boris Johnson as “the most naturally freedom‑loving prime minister we could think of having,” the source says, as Johnson’s government imposed COVID‑19 restrictions. The article states Rees‑Mogg voted for the lockdown measures, which included limits on communal worship with organizer fines up to £10,000; LifeSiteNews’ Paul Smeaton reported at least one police visit to a church and said he sought comment from Rees‑Mogg. The source also notes Rees‑Mogg was accused of hypocrisy for traveling to a Traditional Latin Mass across different regional tiers.
The publication frames these episodes as raising questions about how Rees‑Mogg’s public Catholic identity aligns with his positions.
What’s not clear from the clips
The viral segments do not provide the full GB News discussion or extended context for Rees‑Mogg’s remarks. The LifeSiteNews account relies on posted video excerpts and attendee recollections for earlier events.
