Anna Soubry launches scathing attack on Jacob Rees-Mogg: 'he's had six children and never changed a nappy'

She threatened to quit the Conservative party unless Theresa May 'grows a spine' and kicks out the hard Brexiteers
The Conservatives' Anna Soubry (right) with Labour's Jess Phillips on Good Morning Britain
Rex Features
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Anna Soubry has launched a scathing attack on Jacob Rees-Mogg as she threatened to quit the Conservative party if hard-line Brexiteers are not removed.

The former business minister had already made clear on Monday night that she would step down if Theresa May did not “get a spine” and show “hard ideological Brexiteers” the door.

But renewing her attack, she has now berated Mr Rees-Mogg for his views on abortion and Brexit and said that he has had “six children and never changed a nappy”.

Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Tuesday, the Tory MP said the Prime Minister is “in hock” to Mr Rees-Mogg and other “hard Brexiteers”.

Jacob Rees-Mogg: The Tory MP faced a verbal attack for his views on Brexit and abortion
PA

She told the programme: “Somebody like Jacob, with his views on things like abortion, a man who says he's had six children and never changed a nappy, somebody who says that even if you were to be raped by your father you wouldn't have a right to choose to have a termination - I'm sorry, but I couldn't stay in a party led by somebody like him.”

Ms Soubry added: 'I'm really cheesed off about the way the whole Brexit thing is going. It feels like - and I think there's evidence to support this - Theresa is in hock to these 35 hard Brexiteers.

“They don't represent my party, but more importantly they don't represent people who voted Leave.”

Mr Rees-Mogg has previously said that he is “opposed to abortion in all circumstances”, and last year said: "personal opinion is that life begins at the point of conception and that abortion is morally indefensible", even in the case of rape and incest.

The North East Somerset MP has also hinted that he is not allowed to pick up his children without permission from their nanny.

Her verbal attack on Mr Rees-Mogg came after she last night said suggestions she had made, including to remain in the single market and customs union, had been dismissed by Number 10.

She blamed this on the influence Brexiteers have on Mrs May.

"My front bench... is in hock to 35 hard ideological Brexiteers who are not Tories," the Broxtowe MP told BBC Newsnight on Monday.

"They are not the Tory party I joined 40 years ago and it is about time Theresa stood up to them and slung them out. They have taken down Major, they took down Cameron, two great leaders neither of whom stood up to them."

Mr Rees-Mogg has not yet commented on Ms Soubry's remarks.

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