A Perthshire MP has had a public dig at a senior Tory who was roundly criticised on social media for slouching in the House of Commons earlier this week.
Conservative Jacob Rees-Mogg has been immortalised in a series of memes after being caught having a lie-down in Westminster during a three-hour Brexit debate on Tuesday.
Despite shouts of “sit up, man!” from the opposition benches, the new leader of the House of Commons did not budge.
During a debate on exiting the European Union (EU) in parliament on Thursday, Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart cheekily referred to Mr Rees-Mogg as “the Leader of the House esquire”.
He added: “And can I say to him, if he’s starting to feel a little bit tired just feel free to have a little lie down.
“But perhaps if he’s going to do that maybe mention it to his honourable friends from Pudsey and Horsham if he’s going to lie out once again.”
He also quizzed the MP for North East Somerset on plans by the government for a fresh motion on holding another general election on Monday.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson wants voters to go to the polls on October 15 but failed to get the necessary two-thirds of MPs to support the plans on Wednesday night. MPs will get another chance to vote for an early election on Monday.
Mr Wishart added that plans to suspend parliament for up to five weeks were “much against the desires and wishes of this house and the people we are elected here to serve”.
He then went on to “congratulate” Mr Rees-Mogg for “his shrewd and stellar and steady management of the house business”, adding: “He’s managed to lose every single vote for this Prime Minister.
“I’ve got a feeling though, Mr Speaker, that this probably will be the last chance that we’ll have for an opportunity to see the presence of the Right Honourable Gentleman in his place.
“He wanted a legacy? How about the least successful Leader of the House that we’ve ever had.”
In retort, Mr Rees-Mogg said: “I’m grateful as always for the Right Honourable Gentleman for his characteristic charm. Mr Speaker what we have seen today is, I think, in history unprecedented, unknown, unseen.
“We have seen a frightened Scotsman. That people who are known for their courage, their forthrightness and their sturdiness, and they are scared of going in front of their own voters.
“They have run away from an election. They are – what is it, Timorous beasties” I think they must be called – who dare not face their voters.
“And I just wonder whether this is because of the narrow majority that the honourable member for Perth and North Perthshire himself has?”
