Is Jacob Rees-Mogg Walter the Softy?

In what must be an April Fool’s prank, the Beano comic has apparently issued a cease-and-desist letter to British MP Jacob Rees-Mogg claiming he has modelled himself on its character Walter the Softy.  It listed traits including his side parting, round glasses and “snootiness” as “distinctly copying” the character.

Much amused by the idea of Moggism I suspect I would probably enjoy his company for an hour or so at dinner.

The Moggist background is so quintessentially English: Eton and Oxford followed by the City.  And clearly bright enough to clean up, although no doubt that is as much to do with his people skills as investment wizardry.

I am no judge of character (it appears I was horribly wrong about Tony Blair who I briefly admired when he first came to power) but there is something appealing about the concept of Moggism even if it turns out to be a chimera like most things in politics.

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if Mr. Mogg was a genuine good-egg? The sort of pleasant cove even Psmith would have enjoyed working with?  Just the sort of chap you would meet at Blandings and very delightful too.

He seems to care. He seems to be a relic of those well meaning 19th Century tory patricians and whig grandees one could almost forgive for their rotten boroughs.

Wouldn’t it be splendid if what you see is what you get?  Perhaps he is not just well educated and wealthy but also decent and good with the interests of his fellow man at heart?

I am always surprised that a man of a religious nature would chose to associate himself with the political right but he is probably more Septimus Harding than Lord Soper.  And perhaps one should judge him more by his articles on the importance of the welfare state than his attachment to the Conservative party.

Image By D.C Thomson & Co – http://beano.wikia.com/wiki/Walter_The_Softy, Fair use, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?curid=57528763