‘That’s A Mic Drop, Jacob’: Harriet Harman Silences Rees-Mogg Over ‘Bias’ Smear

Jacob Rees-Mogg was silenced by Harriet Harman as the pair clashed during the debate on whether Boris Johnson should lose his parliamentary pass for repeatedly lying to MPs. 

The former cabinet minister suggested Harman – who chaired the privileges committee which found the former MP guilty – was biased because of tweets she posted about partygate before taking up the role.

But the veteran Labour MP hit back: “I was appointed by this House in the expectation that I would chair the committee with no one speaking against it.

″After the tweets were brought to light, because I am concerned about the perception of fairness on the committee – and I agree that perception matters – I made it my business to find out whether or not it would mean that the government would not have confidence in me if I continued to chair the committee.

″And I actually said I am more than happy to step aside because … I don’t want to do this if the government doesn’t have confidence in me.”

She added: “I was assured that I should continue the work that the House had mandated with the appointment that the House put me into and so I did just that.”

One MP could be heard shouting: “I think that’s a mic drop, Jacob Rees-Mogg.”

Harman’s comments are also a blow for Johnson, who repeatedly referred to the Labour MP in his lengthy statement criticising the committee for its verdict and describing it as a “kangaroo court”.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Theresa May said she will vote for the committee report later this evening.

Her stance is in stark contrast to Rishi Sunak, who is set to dodge the vote amid claims that he does not want to upset Johnson’s supporters.