‘Tonight I’ll be asking the most important question of all – who was St George and why do we celebrate him?” Supposing a UK channel wanted to prove that politicians make such abysmal current affairs presenters that there is nothing for regulators to worry about, it could hardly do better than hire Jacob Rees-Mogg.

After a year presenting State of the Nation on GB News, its presenter comes across, oddly on a station that increasingly betrays some interest in professional standards, as fully as unendurable as he was in the days when, as a cabinet minister, he’d leave crested notes on civil service work stations. “Sorry you were out when I visited. I look forward to seeing you in the office very soon. With every good wish, Rt Hon Jacob Rees-Mogg MP.”

Today, Somerset constituents hoping for a glimpse of the Rt Hon Jacob can be confident of seeing him four nights a week on telly, a deal paying over £29,000 a month. A top theme, last week, was underage drinking in the UK, the World Health Organization’s concern allowing him to advocate, reflexively, giving kids the occasional “sip of champagne”. “Oh, and it has biblical sanction,” said Rees-Mogg, showing he’s lost none of the playful sanctimony that once beguiled the BBC. “After all, Jesus Christ our lord and saviour turned water into wine, not orange juice, soy milk, or any other beverage without alcohol in it.”

Why would anyone, recalling Jesus Christ’s recommendations on hypocrisy, whited sepulchres, who “enlarge the borders of their garments”, not at this point........

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