What’s next for ex-Tory MP after election loss?

Once a parliamentary poster boy for Brexit and rewriter of the House of Commons style guide, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg’s name now sits with big name Conservatives who lost their seats in the election on 4 July.

The veteran Tory MP failed in his bid to become the MP for the newly-formed Somerset North East and Hanham, which was won by Labour’s Dan Norris, who hailed “we’ve got Mogg-xit done” upon victory.

The father-of-six, originally from London, is one of the country’s most instantly recognisable politicians – so what’s next for him?

Jacob Rees-Mogg told the BBC: “I haven’t made any plans yet, although I have some media activities including GBNews. It is early days but my interest in politics and devotion to Somerset are unabated.”

Sir Jacob and his family will star in a new fly-on-the-wall documentary – called Meet The Rees Moggs – which promises to “lift the lid on the man behind the public image”.

The five hour-long episodes will be shown on Discovery+ and follows him through the run-up to the general election and its aftermath.

His wife, Helena de Chair, three of their children and the family’s nanny, Veronica Cook, will also feature on the new show.

It is expected to air later this year.

Sir Jacob currently hosts his own TV talk show on GB News every Monday to Thursday evening and is expected to continue for the foreseeable.

When the broadcaster announced the show, called State of the Nation, it said it would see him “debate the hot topics of the day” and interview guests from “across the political spectrum”.

In March, media regulator Ofcom ruled that five episodes of programmes hosted by serving Tory MPs broke its rules – including two from Sir Jacob’s show.

The episodes were on 9 May 2023, when the show covered a breaking news story about a civil trial verdict involving Donald Trump, and on 13 June 2023, covering the Nottingham attacks.

Labour’s Dan Norris won the newly-formed Somerset North East and Hanham on 4 July.

Sir Jacob held the former North East Somerset seat in the 2015, 2017 and 2019 elections – when he achieved 50.4% of the vote and had a majority of 14,729.

After Sir Jacob was defeated by Mr Norris, he quoted a character from an Ian Fleming novel.

Signing off his speech, Sir Jacob said: “And one final thought, from Caractacus Potts, and that is from the ashes of disaster grow the roses of success. So thank you very much everybody, and good night.”

But whether he will – or wants to – try again remains to be seen.

Sir Jacob attended Eton before reading history at Trinity College, in Oxford.

He has worked in finance and co-founded Somerset Capital Management in 2007, where he left in 2019 after becoming leader of the House of Commons.

In December 2023, the investment fund management company was reported as set to close down after its largest client left, removing about £2bn in assets.

But Sir Jacob’s wealth has previously been reported to be large and lucrative, so could he decide to stop working and be fiscally secure? Probably, in all likelihood.

BBC West’s political reporter, Paul Barltrop, first met Sir Jacob in 2006 – over tea and biscuits at the former MP’s parents’ house in Somerset.

“He was as courteous then as he is today, and ever-ready to chat to locals from all walks of life,” said Mr Barltrop.

“And while politics has been his main focus for nearly two decades, his high profile, eloquence and wit have opened new doors.”

During the election campaign, he told Mr Barltrop “how much he enjoyed doing a nightly television show on GB News”.

“The next time I saw him he had a camera crew following him, recording hours of footage of him and his family for a forthcoming series.

“There is no sense he is finished with front-line politics – but new opportunities have opened up in the media, and he may choose to do more of that in the future,” Mr Barltrop added.