Politics & World • Politician

Jacob Rees-Mogg

Jacob Rees-Mogg is a British Conservative politician who represented North East Somerset in the House of Commons from 2010 to 2024.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 27, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

Jacob Rees-Mogg is a British Conservative politician who represented North East Somerset in the House of Commons from 2010 to 2024. He served in senior UK government roles including Leader of the House of Commons, Lord President of the Council, Minister of State for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

Early life and education

Rees-Mogg was born in Hammersmith, London, in 1969. He was educated at Eton and studied history at Trinity College, Oxford before working in finance in Hong Kong and London.

Parliamentary career

He was elected MP for North East Somerset in 2010 and became known as a prominent Conservative backbencher. He remained the constituency’s MP until losing the seat in 2024.

Government roles

Rees-Mogg held several senior government posts, including Leader of the House of Commons and Lord President of the Council under Boris Johnson. He later served as Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency and then briefly as Business Secretary under Liz Truss.

Political views

He has been associated with euroscepticism and socially conservative positions. He chaired the European Research Group from 2018 to 2019 and played a high-profile role in Brexit politics.

Key facts

Jacob Rees-Mogg was Conservative MP for North East Somerset from 2010 to 2024.
He served as Leader of the House of Commons, Lord President of the Council, Minister for Brexit Opportunities, and Business Secretary.
He chaired the eurosceptic European Research Group from 2018 to 2019.
He lost his seat in the 2024 general election.
Before politics, he studied history at Oxford and worked in finance in Hong Kong and London.

🍁

Canadian context

Jacob Rees-Mogg is mainly relevant to Canadian readers as a prominent UK politician linked to Brexit and Conservative Party politics, issues that have affected UK-Canada trade and diplomatic relations.

Frequently asked questions

Who is Jacob Rees-Mogg?

He is a British Conservative politician who served as MP for North East Somerset from 2010 to 2024 and held several senior UK government posts.

What offices did he hold in government?

He was Leader of the House of Commons, Lord President of the Council, Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency, and Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy.

When was Jacob Rees-Mogg born?

He was born on 24 May 1969 in Hammersmith, London.

Did he lose his parliamentary seat?

Yes. He lost the North East Somerset seat in the 2024 general election.

What is he known for politically?

He is known for eurosceptic and socially conservative views, and for chairing the European Research Group.

What did he do before politics?

He studied history at Oxford and worked in finance in Hong Kong and London.

References

Wikipedia — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacob_Rees-Mogg
Supports: Office holdings, party affiliation, ERG chairmanship, and political background.
UK Government — https://www.gov.uk/government/people/jacob-rees-mogg
Supports: Official ministerial posts, education, election as MP, spouse, and children.
Jacob Rees-Mogg official website — https://www.jacobreesmogg.com/about
Supports: Birth year, education, career background, MP tenure, and loss of seat in 2024.
BBC — https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/profiles/5CSZhGNP6Cs2GSdxFlsBJ6K/jacob-rees-mogg
Supports: Background, constituency representation, and founding Somerset Capital Management.
National Portrait Gallery — https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp161388/jacob-william-rees-mogg
Supports: Political profile, social conservatism, Eton and Oxford education, ERG chairmanship, and Brexit stance.