Mogg: Remainers are like Japanese who wait 30 years to surrender

REMAIN supporters who refuse to accept the referendum result are like the Japanese soldier who surrendered nearly 30 years after the war ended, Jacob Rees-Mogg will say today.

In a major speech to mark one year before Brexit, the leading Eurosceptic MP will argue that Brexit will mean better government and more global influence.

Mr Rees-Mogg, chairman of the European Research Group of backbench Tory MPs will argue that leaving the EU will mean that the UK will be able to control its borders.

Rounding on those who want to reverse the referendum result, he will compare them to ‘Mr Hiroo Onoda, the Japanese soldier who finally surrendered in 1974, having previously refused to believe that the Second World War had ended’.

Last night Tony Blair insisted again that the country should hold a second referendum. The former prime minister said the public should be given the chance to ‘ revisit the most important political decision of their lifetimes’ once they know the ‘full facts’ of the final deal.

He argued that it is the ‘duty’ of Labour MPs to ‘ thwart’ Brexit and ensure that there is another vote on the terms of the agreement with the EU – before we leave.

But today, in a speech in central London, Mr Rees-Mogg will say that restoring Britain’s ‘constitutional order’ will mean better government.

‘Politicians will no longer be able to evade the blame if things go wrong by saying it was decided elsewhere, they will have to take responsibility for their actions,’ he will say.

‘Equally it will not be possible to pretend that if it was not for a remote bureaucracy we would not make mistakes. Power and responsibility go hand-in-hand and will be reconnected once we have left the European Union.’

Britain’s influence in the world will be boosted by taking seats on international bodies that are delegated to the EU such as the World Trade Organisation.

‘This will inevitably give us more influence because we will be there arguing our corner rather than leaving it to an EU representative to have to stand up for us,’ Mr Rees-Mogg will say. ‘There is a world of opportunity ahead of us. Economically, leaving the European Union by getting rid of unfair, anti-competitive tariffs and by controlling our borders will help the least well off in society the most.

‘Constitutionally, we will be in charge of our own destiny [and] protected by our own laws. In international affairs, we will be setting our own direction, not hiding behind the skirts of the German chancellor.’