Dimbleby’s Eton mess
He gets cheap laugh by telling audience MP went to Eton. MP responds: I was there with your son!
IT was the moment when the tables were turned on one of our best known television inquisitors.
For when Question Time host David Dimbleby tried to embarrass Tory MP Jacob rees-Mogg by pointing out he had gone to eton, he thought he had scored an easy point with the studio audience.
But the unflustered politician had the ultimate retort.
he waited until audience laughter had subsided before agreeing that yes, he had gone to eton – with Mr Dimbleby’s son.
The witty exchange left those on the BBC1 panel laughing on Thursday night, and caused even more delight from the audience.
For it showed up perfectly that Mr Dimbleby, 77, was in no position to make fun of the poshness of others.
he is, of course, a prominent member of broadcasting’s own aristocracy – his father richard was one of the founding fathers of television, notably presenting Panorama and commentating on the coronation of the Queen.
and aside from his considerable wealth, David himself is no stranger to educational privilege.
Coincidentally, just as his son henry attended the same £36,000-ayear public school as Jacob rees-
‘That was a brilliant zinger’
Mogg, he went to the same top public school, Charterhouse, as the MP’s distinguished Times editor father Baron William rees-Mogg.
The Question Time recording was made in front of a live audience in Slough on Thursday night. Many people living in the Berkshire town are concerned about the proposed expansion of heathrow, and flights in and out of the airport.
But Jacob rees-Mogg, 46, was happy to tell them that a third runway should ‘absolutely’ be built. and the following exchange took place:
Jacob rees-Mogg: ‘ heathrow is the most convenient London airport. I realise that in Slough this may not please everybody.
‘I used to live not a million miles from Slough with the aeroplanes going over, and I must confess they didn’t prove too bothersome then.’
David Dimbleby, clearly trying to have a sly dig, said: ‘eton, is that?’
Unfazed, Mr rees- Mogg replied: ‘ That’s absolutely right, I was at…’
he was interrupted when the audience laughed loudly. But with impeccable timing, and in a quietly understated voice, he continued: ‘… I was at school with your son.’
The audience laughed and clapped in delight and a smiling Mr Dimbleby graciously conceded defeat.
Fellow panellist Piers Morgan could not contain his delight. ‘Boom’, he said before adding: ‘That was a brilliant zinger. That’s the best zinger I’ve seen him [Dimbleby] take in a long time.’
Mr rees-Mogg then took control of the debate by saying: ‘Let’s get back to the important subject of heathrow rather than mine and henry Dimbleby’s education.’
yesterday restaurateur henry Dimbleby received an MBe from Prince Charles at Buckingham Palace for his work on improving state school dinners. he is also one of the founders of the successful restaurant chain Leon.
Mr rees-Mogg, MP for North east Somerset, has previously been referred to as ‘the honourable member for the 18th century’ and ‘the sort of man who wears double-breasted pyjamas’.