Jacob Rees-Mogg tweets clip of far-right German politician because it’s ‘interesting’

Jacob Rees-Mogg has defended tweeting footage of a far right German leader because it is ‘something interesting that is worth watching’.

He faced strong criticism after posting a speech by AfD parliamentary leader Alice Weidel where she asked: ‘Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?”‘

The Tory Brexiteer said the address was of ‘real importance’ because it shows a ‘German view of Brexit’.

The AfD leader asks "Is it any wonder the British see bad faith behind every manoeuvre from Brussels?" https://t.co/hc7wtyLkiA

— Jacob Rees-Mogg (@Jacob_Rees_Mogg) March 31, 2019

Labour MP David Lammy accused Mr Rees-Mogg of ‘promoting Germany’s overtly racist party, AfD (Alternative for Deutschland)’.

He tweeted: ‘Our country’s proudest moment was defeating the far right.

‘Now we are supposed to sit back while xenophobes, nativists, nationalists & isolationists do their best to tear Europe apart again. We must not let them win.’

But Mr Rees-Mogg told LBC radio: “I’m not supporting the AfD, but this is a speech made in the Bundestag of real importance because it shows a German view of Brexit.

We have to deal with the AFD on the Council of Europe. One of their reps claims that 'muslims in Europe are seeking to kill all germans'. So forgive us @Jacob_Rees_Mogg if don't use them as you do as a metric for decent opinions by which we should be influenced….#fascists https://t.co/yC1pkmJYo8

— stellacreasy (@stellacreasy) March 31, 2019

I can only imagine a Tory MP retweeting a far-right German nationalist leader is some kind of #AprilFools prank borne from the playing fields of Eton. https://t.co/5gTtuBrj71

— Tom Watson (@tom_watson) April 1, 2019

Are you quoting the same AfD that had posters urging an 'Islam-free' Bavaria at a recent election?

— Mike Stuchbery???????? (@MikeStuchbery_) March 31, 2019

‘And it is saying to the Germans, ‘Look, you’re paying for this, you’re going to pay more for this’ and Angela Merkel has tied herself up in knots with the French to the disadvantage of the Germans.

‘And I think it’s important people know that this is a strand of German political thinking.

‘I don’t think retweeting is an endorsement of things that other people stand for – it’s just pointing out that there’s something interesting that is worth watching.’

The AfD entered parliament for the first time in 2017 and has become the main opposition now the two largest parties are in coalition.

It began as an anti-Euro party and shifted towards becoming anti-immigration and anti-Islam.