‘Keep Your Hands To Yourself’: Journalist Clashes With Jacob Ress-Mogg Over GB News At Popular Conservatives Launch

Tory MP and GB News host Jacob Rees-Mogg found himself in the heat of a verbal skirmish with journalist Lewis Goodall during the launch of the Popular Conservatives movement Tuesday, accusing the reporter of being “left-wing” in a bout over impartiality that saw GB News’ Ofcom trouble spotlighted.

The former Tory cabinet minister and Brexiteer joined former Prime Minister Liz Truss at the launch of the new caucus during an event also attended by ex-Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson and former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage.

In the halls after the event, Mogg was challenged by Goodall, a former BBC journalist who now hosts The News Agents podcast, over his criticism of the so-called governing elite and his policies at an event that was meant to showcase the new direction of Tory thinking.

Goodall then asked whether it was “pathetic” for senior Tories to criticise a system they have been running for 14 years. The exchange escalated quickly when Goodall followed with a question on the influence of “wokeism” in schools and Rees-Mogg’s past earnings as a fund manager.

“You railed against Davos now. How much money did you make in the city?” the journalist asked.

Rees-Mogg replied: “That’s such a childish question. I’ve never had anything to do with Davos and I know that you’ve become a very left broadcaster, but asking me lefty questions doesn’t really get us anywhere.”

The tension peaked when Rees-Mogg abruptly told Goodall: “Keep your hands to yourself,”

Accusations continued to fly from both sides; Rees-Mogg criticised Goodall for not paying careful attention to his speech and questioned his journalistic impartiality, while Goodall sarcastically remarked on the impartiality of Rees-Mogg’s employer GB News.

“You seem to be representing the left wing,” Rees-Mogg said. “Are you doing your bit of due impartiality that Ofcom requires of you? Or are you right here as a left wing broadcaster? I’m interested in this, because this comes up with GB News, which I broadcast on.”

“Which, of course, is completely impartial. Mr Rees-Mogg…” Goodall said, trying to continue.

“It meets the requirements of due impartiality, and I’m asking if you do,” the MP pressed.

In a flurry of argument the two talked over one another, Goodall pointing out that GB News is subject to several Ofcom investigations over breaches to impartiality and Rees-Mogg accusing the journalist of being “left-wing.”

The interview was quickly brought to close soon after, as the MP insisted he had “people waiting.”