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{{short description|Online conservative campaign and grassroots movement supporting Jacob Rees-Mogg}}
{{merge to|Jacob Rees-Mogg|discuss=Talk:Jacob Rees-Mogg#Merger proposal|date=February 2019}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2017}}
[[File:Mogmentum.svg|thumb|325x325px|Logo used by the Moggmentum campaign]]
[[File:Mogmentum.svg|thumb|325x325px|Logo used by the Moggmentum campaign]]
'''Moggmentum''' is an online conservative campaign and [[grassroots movement]] supporting [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]], in a similar fashion to the 2015 phenomena of [[Milifandom]] and [[Momentum (organisation)|Momentum]]. The movement includes pressure for Rees-Mogg to become the [[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party]] in the United Kingdom. Comparisons between Moggmentum and the [[Tea Party movement]] in the United States have been made with regard to their supporting "rightwing ideas, grassroots activism and shaking up the conservative establishment".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Heather |last2=Mason |first2=Rowena |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg met Steve Bannon to discuss US-UK politics |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/01/jacob-rees-mogg-held-meeting-with-steve-bannon-in-london |accessdate=13 April 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=1 December 2017 |language=en}}</ref>
'''Moggmentum''' is an online right-wing campaign and [[grassroots movement]] supporting [[Jacob Rees-Mogg]], in a similar fashion to the 2015 phenomena of [[Milifandom]] and [[Momentum (organisation)|Momentum]]. The movement includes pressure for Rees-Mogg to become the [[Leader of the Conservative Party (UK)|Leader of the Conservative Party]] in the United Kingdom. Comparisons between Moggmentum and the [[Tea Party movement]] in the United States have been made with regard to their supporting "rightwing ideas, grassroots activism and shaking up the conservative establishment".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Stewart |first1=Heather |last2=Mason |first2=Rowena |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg met Steve Bannon to discuss US-UK politics |url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/01/jacob-rees-mogg-held-meeting-with-steve-bannon-in-london |accessdate=13 April 2018 |work=The Guardian |date=1 December 2017 |language=en}}</ref>


==History==
==History==
In May 2017, during the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|general election campaign]], Rees-Mogg posted a picture on [[Instagram]] of himself and his son standing outside a tattoo parlour in his constituency that was displaying a "Vote [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]" poster alongside a poster reading "Keep sane and don't vote [[Conservative Party (UK)|Tory]]"; his picture was captioned: "We shall have to take our business elsewhere".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BUxQkfIFTFY/ |title=Instagram post by Jacob Rees-Mogg • May 31, 2017 at 8:11pm UTC |website=Instagram}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg's social media posts gain mass following as the local MP enters the digital age |url=http://www.chewvalleygazette.co.uk/article.cfm?id=102718&headline=Jacob%20Rees-Mogg%27s%20social%20media%20posts%20gain%20mass%20following%20as%20the%20local%20MP%20enters%20the%20digital%20age&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2017 |accessdate=9 July 2017 |work=Chew Valley Gazette |date=30 June 2017}}</ref> As a result, #Moggmentum began to trend on [[Twitter]].[[File:Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP.jpg|thumbnail|Jacob Rees-Mogg]] #Moggmentum began to trend again in June 2017, as a result of Rees-Mogg interrupting [[Jeremy Corbyn]] during the debate on the [[Queen's Speech]], an act that was criticised by [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] [[John Bercow]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/5-times-jacob-rees-mogg-163514 |title=5 times Jacob Rees-Mogg became an internet star with #Moggmentum |first=Ruth |last=Ovens |date=4 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref> Following the speech, a series of [[Internet meme|memes]] were created with Rees-Mogg as the subject.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/politics/moggmentum-unlikely-movement-make-jacob-rees-mogg-prime-minister/ |title=#moggmentum: unlikely movement to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Prime Minister |date=30 June 2017 |publisher=}}</ref> A petition was started to make Rees-Mogg Prime Minister; it gained £7,000 in support funding<ref>{{cite web |last=Nickalls |first=Amy |url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/thousands-in-kent-back-moggmania-campaign-131115/ |title=Gillingham resident starts petition for Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg to run for party leader |website=Kent Online |date=28 August 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref> and 13,000 signatures over the next two days.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/north-somerset-mp-jacob-rees-177896 |title='Moggmentum' continues with North Somerset MP's Question Time appearance |first=Ruth |last=Ovens |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>
In May 2017, during the [[2017 United Kingdom general election|general election campaign]], Rees-Mogg posted a picture on [[Instagram]] of himself and his son standing outside a tattoo parlour in his constituency that was displaying a "Vote [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]]" poster alongside a poster reading "Keep sane and don't vote [[Conservative Party (UK)|Tory]]"; his picture was captioned: "We shall have to take our business elsewhere".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/BUxQkfIFTFY/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/instagram/jacob_rees_mogg/1527074624722252120 |archive-date=25 December 2021 |url-access=registration|title=Instagram post by Jacob Rees-Mogg • May 31, 2017 at 8:11pm UTC |website=Instagram}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg's social media posts gain mass following as the local MP enters the digital age |url=http://www.chewvalleygazette.co.uk/article.cfm?id=102718&headline=Jacob%20Rees-Mogg%27s%20social%20media%20posts%20gain%20mass%20following%20as%20the%20local%20MP%20enters%20the%20digital%20age&sectionIs=news&searchyear=2017 |accessdate=9 July 2017 |work=Chew Valley Gazette |date=30 June 2017}}</ref> As a result, the hashtag Moggmentum began to trend on [[Twitter]].


[[File:Jacob Rees-Mogg official portrait.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|Rees-Mogg, official portrait]]
⚫
On 7 July 2017, Rees-Mogg gained significant publicity as the potential next Conservative Party leader when major news outlets began releasing articles about the subject. According to Pollstation, at the time Rees-Mogg had an opinion polling of 60% to take over as Conservative Party leader,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pollstation.uk/who_should_be_the_next_conservative_party_leader/result|title=Who Should be the Next Conservative Party Leader?|publisher=}}</ref> with [[Boris Johnson]] following with 12% of the votes. On the same day, betting odds were "slashed" from 50/1 to 16/1 on [[Oddschecker]]; this was directly attributed to the campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/268060/odds-slashed-jacob-rees-mogg-replace-theresa-may-tory |title=Odds slashed on Jacob Rees-Mogg to replace Theresa May as Tory leader |first=Caitlin |last=Morrison |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/jacob-rees-mogg-serious-contention-become-next-leader-conservative-party/07/07/ |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg in "serious contention" to become the next leader of the Conservative party |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>
The hashtag Moggmentum began to trend again in June 2017, as a result of Rees-Mogg interrupting [[Jeremy Corbyn]] during the debate on the [[Queen's Speech]], an act that was criticised by [[Speaker of the House of Commons (United Kingdom)|Speaker of the House of Commons]] [[John Bercow]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.somersetlive.co.uk/news/somerset-news/5-times-jacob-rees-mogg-163514 |title=5 times Jacob Rees-Mogg became an internet star with #Moggmentum |first=Ruth |last=Ovens |date=4 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref> Following the speech, a series of [[Internet meme|memes]] were created with Rees-Mogg as the subject.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://inews.co.uk/essentials/news/politics/moggmentum-unlikely-movement-make-jacob-rees-mogg-prime-minister/ |title=#moggmentum: unlikely movement to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Prime Minister |date=30 June 2017 |publisher=}}</ref> A petition was started to make Rees-Mogg Prime Minister; it gained £7,000 in support funding<ref>{{cite web |last=Nickalls |first=Amy |url=http://www.kentonline.co.uk/medway/news/thousands-in-kent-back-moggmania-campaign-131115/ |title=Gillingham resident starts petition for Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg to run for party leader |website=Kent Online |date=28 August 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref> and 13,000 signatures over the next two days.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bathchronicle.co.uk/news/bath-news/north-somerset-mp-jacob-rees-177896 |title='Moggmentum' continues with North Somerset MP's Question Time appearance |first=Ruth |last=Ovens |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>

⚫
On 7 July 2017, Rees-Mogg gained significant publicity as the potential next [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative Party]] leader when major news outlets began releasing articles about the subject. According to Pollstation, at the time, Rees-Mogg had an opinion polling of 60% to take over as Conservative Party leader,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.pollstation.uk/who_should_be_the_next_conservative_party_leader/result|title=Who Should be the Next Conservative Party Leader?|publisher=}}</ref> with [[Boris Johnson]] following with 12% of the votes. On the same day, betting odds were "slashed" from 50/1 to 16/1 on [[Oddschecker]]; this was directly attributed to the campaign.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.cityam.com/268060/odds-slashed-jacob-rees-mogg-replace-theresa-may-tory |title=Odds slashed on Jacob Rees-Mogg to replace Theresa May as Tory leader |first=Caitlin |last=Morrison |date=7 July 2017 |publisher= |access-date=7 July 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170812062954/http://www.cityam.com/268060/odds-slashed-jacob-rees-mogg-replace-theresa-may-tory |archive-date=12 August 2017 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.thelondoneconomic.com/news/jacob-rees-mogg-serious-contention-become-next-leader-conservative-party/07/07/ |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg in "serious contention" to become the next leader of the Conservative party |date=7 July 2017 |publisher=}}</ref>


In late July and early August 2017, Moggmentum was featured in a number of foreign media, including prominent publications such as: Belgian ''[[De Redactie]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=De Paepe |first=Harry |url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/opinieblog/opinie/1.3024461 |title=Stoot de "Mogg mania" Theresa May van haar troon? - Harry De Paepe |website=De Redactie |date=15 July 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> American ''[[The National Interest]]''<ref>{{cite web |last=Mills |first=Curt |url=http://nationalinterest.org/feature/outlandish-aristocrat-could-be-the-next-british-prime-21677 |title=This Outlandish Aristocrat Could Be the Next British Prime Minister |website=The National Interest |date=26 July 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> and Polish ''[[Wprost]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mielnik |first=Jakub |url=https://www.wprost.pl/tygodnik/10071080/Bulawa-w-butonierce.html |title=Buława w butonierce |website=Wprost |date=20 August 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> It was reported in early August that Ross Atkinson, a Rees-Mogg supporter, had been tattooed with the Moggmentum logo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2017-08-14/rees-mogg-it-isnt-realistic-to-be-next-conservative-leader/ |title=Rees-Mogg: 'It isn't realistic' to be next Conservative leader |website=ITV News |date=14 August 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref>
In late July and early August 2017, Moggmentum was featured in a number of foreign media, including prominent publications such as: Belgian ''[[De Redactie]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=De Paepe |first=Harry |url=http://deredactie.be/cm/vrtnieuws/opinieblog/opinie/1.3024461 |title=Stoot de "Mogg mania" Theresa May van haar troon? - Harry De Paepe |website=De Redactie |date=15 July 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> American ''[[The National Interest]]''<ref>{{cite web |last=Mills |first=Curt |url=http://nationalinterest.org/feature/outlandish-aristocrat-could-be-the-next-british-prime-21677 |title=This Outlandish Aristocrat Could Be the Next British Prime Minister |website=The National Interest |date=26 July 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> and Polish ''[[Wprost]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Mielnik |first=Jakub |url=https://www.wprost.pl/tygodnik/10071080/Bulawa-w-butonierce.html |title=Buława w butonierce |website=Wprost |date=20 August 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref> It was reported in early August that Ross Atkinson, a Rees-Mogg supporter, had been tattooed with the Moggmentum logo.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.itv.com/news/westcountry/2017-08-14/rees-mogg-it-isnt-realistic-to-be-next-conservative-leader/ |title=Rees-Mogg: 'It isn't realistic' to be next Conservative leader |website=ITV News |date=14 August 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref>


A number of "Moggmentum" groups have been associated with [[Islamophobia in the UK Conservative Party (2016–present)|Islamophobia in the Conservative Party]]. A number of groups supporting Mogg for Conservative leader posted "widespread" anti-Islam comments as well as images ridiculing Muslim women, calls for a ban on Muslim immigration to the UK similar to the [[Trump travel ban]], incitement to violence and murder against Muslims, Islamophobic attacks on London Mayor Sadiq Khan, and support for far-right activist [[Tommy Robinson (activist)|Tommy Robinson]]. Some of these Facebook groups included "Tory councillors, officials and agents".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wheeler|first1=Caroline|last2=Walters|first2=Tommy|last3=Forbes|first3=Felix|title=Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/boris-johnsons-facebook-page-mobbed-by-racists-after-burqa-furore-f5jp2k77h|accessdate=19 August 2018|work=The Sunday Times|date=19 August 2018|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In March 2019, 14 Conservative Party members were expelled after they were found to have posted Islamophobic comments in a pro-Mogg Facebook group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-islamophobia-racism-suspended-member-conservatives-a8808571.html|title=Tory party suspends 14 members for posting Islamophobic or racist comments online|date=5 March 2019|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|accessdate=6 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sajid-javid-baroness-warsi-muslim-islamaphobia-leader-a8809596.html|title=Sajid Javid playing 'dog whistle politics' and right-wing think he's 'too Muslim' to be leader, Baroness Warsi says|date=6 March 2019|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|accessdate=6 March 2019}}</ref>
Some of these Facebook groups included "Tory councillors, officials and agents".<ref>{{cite news|last1=Wheeler|first1=Caroline|last2=Walters|first2=Tommy|last3=Forbes|first3=Felix|title=Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore|url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/boris-johnsons-facebook-page-mobbed-by-racists-after-burqa-furore-f5jp2k77h|accessdate=19 August 2018|work=The Sunday Times|date=19 August 2018|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In March 2019, 14 Conservative Party members were expelled after they were found to have posted Islamophobic comments in a pro-Mogg Facebook group.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-islamophobia-racism-suspended-member-conservatives-a8808571.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/tory-islamophobia-racism-suspended-member-conservatives-a8808571.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Tory party suspends 14 members for posting Islamophobic or racist comments online|date=5 March 2019|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|accessdate=6 March 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sajid-javid-baroness-warsi-muslim-islamaphobia-leader-a8809596.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220515/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/sajid-javid-baroness-warsi-muslim-islamaphobia-leader-a8809596.html |archive-date=15 May 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Sajid Javid playing 'dog whistle politics' and right-wing think he's 'too Muslim' to be leader, Baroness Warsi says|date=6 March 2019|newspaper=[[The Independent]]|accessdate=6 March 2019}}</ref>


==Responses==
==Responses==
The [[BBC]] released a trending subject article on the movement on 3 July 2017, and two days later a two-minute video was added to the BBC website summarising the phenomenon.<ref name="bbc">{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-40510372/social-media-appeal-of-conservative-mp-jacob-rees-mogg |title=Social media appeal of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg |website=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-40432921 |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg: The Conservative MP who's an unlikely social media star|first=Hannah Henderson BBC |last=Trending |website=BBC News}}</ref>
The [[BBC]] released a trending subject article on the movement on 3 July 2017, and two days later a two-minute video was added to the BBC website summarising the phenomenon.<ref name="bbc">{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-40510372/social-media-appeal-of-conservative-mp-jacob-rees-mogg |title=Social media appeal of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg |work=BBC News }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-trending-40432921 |title=Jacob Rees-Mogg: The Conservative MP who's an unlikely social media star|first=Hannah Henderson BBC |last=Trending |work=BBC News|date=3 July 2017}}</ref>


On 12 and 17 July, the ''[[New Statesman]]'' and ''[[The New European]]'' published articles calling the movement a cult.<ref>{{cite web|last=Garnier |first=Mark |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/07/understanding-moggmentum-hollow-cult-jacob-rees-mogg |title=Understanding #Moggmentum: the hollow cult of Jacob Rees-Mogg |website=New Statesman |date=12 July 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Nathaniel |last=Tapley |url=http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/moggmentum-rees-mogg-mania-and-what-it-says-about-us-1-5110117 |title=Moggmentum: Rees-Mogg mania and what it says about us |website=The New European |date=17 July 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref> The latter published another piece on 19 August, penned by [[Bonnie Greer]], who called Rees-Mogg a "false memory".<ref>{{cite web |first=Bonnie |last=Greer |url=http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/jacob-rees-mogg-and-the-prime-ministry-of-silly-season-1-5155760 |title=Jacob Rees Mogg and the Prime Ministry of Silly Season |website=The New European |date=19 August 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref>
On 12 and 17 July, the ''[[New Statesman]]'' and ''[[The New European]]'' published articles calling the movement a cult.<ref>{{cite web|last=Garnier |first=Mark |url=http://www.newstatesman.com/politics/uk/2017/07/understanding-moggmentum-hollow-cult-jacob-rees-mogg |title=Understanding #Moggmentum: the hollow cult of Jacob Rees-Mogg |website=New Statesman |date=12 July 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |first=Nathaniel |last=Tapley |url=http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/moggmentum-rees-mogg-mania-and-what-it-says-about-us-1-5110117 |title=Moggmentum: Rees-Mogg mania and what it says about us |website=The New European |date=17 July 2017 |accessdate=6 September 2017}}</ref> The latter published another piece on 19 August, penned by [[Bonnie Greer]], who called Rees-Mogg a "false memory".<ref>{{cite web |first=Bonnie |last=Greer |url=http://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/jacob-rees-mogg-and-the-prime-ministry-of-silly-season-1-5155760 |title=Jacob Rees Mogg and the Prime Ministry of Silly Season |website=The New European |date=19 August 2017 |accessdate=18 September 2017}}</ref>


In 2018, as part of a ''[[Sunday Times]]'' investigation into online abuse following comments made by Boris Johnson regarding the [[niqab]] and media controversy regarding alleged [[Islamophobia in the UK Conservative Party|Conservative Islamophobia]], it was reported that a number of Facebook groups supportive of Rees-Mogg and Johnson were leaving "widespread" Islamophobic and racist comments on Johnson's Facebook page, including: support for [[Enoch Powell]] and his [[Rivers of Blood speech]], incitement to violence and murder against Muslims, Islamophobic attacks on London mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] and support for far-right activist [[Tommy Robinson (activist)|Tommy Robinson]]. In response, Rees-Mogg said he was supporting a [[private member's bill]] put forward by Labour MP [[Lucy Powell]] to regulate social media, and added "people who have these types of views should take no solace in using [Johnson's] comments as an excuse to take this approach".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Caroline |last2=Walters |first2=Tommy |last3=Forbes |first3=Felix |title=Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/boris-johnsons-facebook-page-mobbed-by-racists-after-burqa-furore-f5jp2k77h |accessdate=25 August 2018 |work=The Sunday Times |date=19 August 2018 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>
In 2018, as part of a ''[[Sunday Times]]'' investigation into online abuse following comments made by Boris Johnson regarding the [[niqab]] and media controversy regarding alleged [[Islamophobia in the UK Conservative Party|Conservative Islamophobia]],<ref>{{Cite news |last=Forbes |first=Caroline Wheeler, Tommy Walters and Felix |title=Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore |newspaper=[[The Times]] |language=en |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/boris-johnsons-facebook-page-mobbed-by-racists-after-burqa-furore-f5jp2k77h |access-date=2022-12-10 |issn=0140-0460}}</ref> it was reported that a number of Facebook groups supportive of Rees-Mogg and Johnson were leaving "widespread" Islamophobic and racist comments on Johnson's Facebook page, including: support for [[Enoch Powell]] and his [[Rivers of Blood speech]], incitement to violence and murder against Muslims, Islamophobic attacks on London mayor [[Sadiq Khan]] and support for far-right activist [[Tommy Robinson]]. In response, Rees-Mogg said he was supporting a [[private member's bill]] put forward by Labour MP [[Lucy Powell]] to regulate social media, and added "people who have these types of views should take no solace in using [Johnson's] comments as an excuse to take this approach".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wheeler |first1=Caroline |last2=Walters |first2=Tommy |last3=Forbes |first3=Felix |title=Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore |url=https://www.thetimes.co.uk/edition/news/boris-johnsons-facebook-page-mobbed-by-racists-after-burqa-furore-f5jp2k77h |accessdate=25 August 2018 |work=The Sunday Times |date=19 August 2018 |url-access=subscription }}</ref>


==See also==
==See also==
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{{UK Conservative Party}}
{{UK Conservative Party}}
{{Portalbar|British politics|Conservatism|Internet}}
{{Portal bar|Politics|United Kingdom|Conservatism|Internet}}


<!--- Categories --->
<!--- Categories --->
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[[Category:Toryism]]
[[Category:Toryism]]
[[Category:Internet activism]]
[[Category:Internet activism]]
[[Category:2017 in British politics]]
[[Category:2017 in Internet culture]]

Latest revision as of 09:34, 26 August 2024

Logo used by the Moggmentum campaign

Moggmentum is an online right-wing campaign and grassroots movement supporting Jacob Rees-Mogg, in a similar fashion to the 2015 phenomena of Milifandom and Momentum. The movement includes pressure for Rees-Mogg to become the Leader of the Conservative Party in the United Kingdom. Comparisons between Moggmentum and the Tea Party movement in the United States have been made with regard to their supporting "rightwing ideas, grassroots activism and shaking up the conservative establishment".[1]

History

[edit]

In May 2017, during the general election campaign, Rees-Mogg posted a picture on Instagram of himself and his son standing outside a tattoo parlour in his constituency that was displaying a "Vote Labour" poster alongside a poster reading "Keep sane and don't vote Tory"; his picture was captioned: "We shall have to take our business elsewhere".[2][3] As a result, the hashtag Moggmentum began to trend on Twitter.

Rees-Mogg, official portrait

The hashtag Moggmentum began to trend again in June 2017, as a result of Rees-Mogg interrupting Jeremy Corbyn during the debate on the Queen's Speech, an act that was criticised by Speaker of the House of Commons John Bercow.[4] Following the speech, a series of memes were created with Rees-Mogg as the subject.[5] A petition was started to make Rees-Mogg Prime Minister; it gained £7,000 in support funding[6] and 13,000 signatures over the next two days.[7]

On 7 July 2017, Rees-Mogg gained significant publicity as the potential next Conservative Party leader when major news outlets began releasing articles about the subject. According to Pollstation, at the time, Rees-Mogg had an opinion polling of 60% to take over as Conservative Party leader,[8] with Boris Johnson following with 12% of the votes. On the same day, betting odds were "slashed" from 50/1 to 16/1 on Oddschecker; this was directly attributed to the campaign.[9][10]

In late July and early August 2017, Moggmentum was featured in a number of foreign media, including prominent publications such as: Belgian De Redactie,[11] American The National Interest[12] and Polish Wprost.[13] It was reported in early August that Ross Atkinson, a Rees-Mogg supporter, had been tattooed with the Moggmentum logo.[14]

Some of these Facebook groups included "Tory councillors, officials and agents".[15] In March 2019, 14 Conservative Party members were expelled after they were found to have posted Islamophobic comments in a pro-Mogg Facebook group.[16][17]

Responses

[edit]

The BBC released a trending subject article on the movement on 3 July 2017, and two days later a two-minute video was added to the BBC website summarising the phenomenon.[18][19]

On 12 and 17 July, the New Statesman and The New European published articles calling the movement a cult.[20][21] The latter published another piece on 19 August, penned by Bonnie Greer, who called Rees-Mogg a "false memory".[22]

In 2018, as part of a Sunday Times investigation into online abuse following comments made by Boris Johnson regarding the niqab and media controversy regarding alleged Conservative Islamophobia,[23] it was reported that a number of Facebook groups supportive of Rees-Mogg and Johnson were leaving "widespread" Islamophobic and racist comments on Johnson's Facebook page, including: support for Enoch Powell and his Rivers of Blood speech, incitement to violence and murder against Muslims, Islamophobic attacks on London mayor Sadiq Khan and support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson. In response, Rees-Mogg said he was supporting a private member's bill put forward by Labour MP Lucy Powell to regulate social media, and added "people who have these types of views should take no solace in using [Johnson's] comments as an excuse to take this approach".[24]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Stewart, Heather; Mason, Rowena (1 December 2017). "Jacob Rees-Mogg met Steve Bannon to discuss US-UK politics". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 April 2018.
  2. ^ "Instagram post by Jacob Rees-Mogg • May 31, 2017 at 8:11pm UTC". Instagram. Archived from the original on 25 December 2021.
  3. ^ "Jacob Rees-Mogg's social media posts gain mass following as the local MP enters the digital age". Chew Valley Gazette. 30 June 2017. Retrieved 9 July 2017.
  4. ^ Ovens, Ruth (4 July 2017). "5 times Jacob Rees-Mogg became an internet star with #Moggmentum".
  5. ^ "#moggmentum: unlikely movement to make Jacob Rees-Mogg Prime Minister". 30 June 2017.
  6. ^ Nickalls, Amy (28 August 2017). "Gillingham resident starts petition for Tory Jacob Rees-Mogg to run for party leader". Kent Online. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  7. ^ Ovens, Ruth (7 July 2017). "'Moggmentum' continues with North Somerset MP's Question Time appearance".
  8. ^ "Who Should be the Next Conservative Party Leader?".
  9. ^ Morrison, Caitlin (7 July 2017). "Odds slashed on Jacob Rees-Mogg to replace Theresa May as Tory leader". Archived from the original on 12 August 2017. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
  10. ^ "Jacob Rees-Mogg in "serious contention" to become the next leader of the Conservative party". 7 July 2017.
  11. ^ De Paepe, Harry (15 July 2017). "Stoot de "Mogg mania" Theresa May van haar troon? - Harry De Paepe". De Redactie. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  12. ^ Mills, Curt (26 July 2017). "This Outlandish Aristocrat Could Be the Next British Prime Minister". The National Interest. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  13. ^ Mielnik, Jakub (20 August 2017). "Buława w butonierce". Wprost. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  14. ^ "Rees-Mogg: 'It isn't realistic' to be next Conservative leader". ITV News. 14 August 2017. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  15. ^ Wheeler, Caroline; Walters, Tommy; Forbes, Felix (19 August 2018). "Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 19 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Tory party suspends 14 members for posting Islamophobic or racist comments online". The Independent. 5 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  17. ^ "Sajid Javid playing 'dog whistle politics' and right-wing think he's 'too Muslim' to be leader, Baroness Warsi says". The Independent. 6 March 2019. Archived from the original on 15 May 2022. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
  18. ^ "Social media appeal of Conservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg". BBC News.
  19. ^ Trending, Hannah Henderson BBC (3 July 2017). "Jacob Rees-Mogg: The Conservative MP who's an unlikely social media star". BBC News.
  20. ^ Garnier, Mark (12 July 2017). "Understanding #Moggmentum: the hollow cult of Jacob Rees-Mogg". New Statesman. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  21. ^ Tapley, Nathaniel (17 July 2017). "Moggmentum: Rees-Mogg mania and what it says about us". The New European. Retrieved 6 September 2017.
  22. ^ Greer, Bonnie (19 August 2017). "Jacob Rees Mogg and the Prime Ministry of Silly Season". The New European. Retrieved 18 September 2017.
  23. ^ Forbes, Caroline Wheeler, Tommy Walters and Felix. "Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore". The Times. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 10 December 2022.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Wheeler, Caroline; Walters, Tommy; Forbes, Felix (19 August 2018). "Boris Johnson's Facebook page mobbed by racists after burqa furore". The Sunday Times. Retrieved 25 August 2018.
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