Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg says workers should be allowed to “get on with their jobs” rather than waste time on “moralistic progressivism”. Credit: Rui Vieira/AP
The majority of Telegraph readers support Jacob Rees-Mogg's call for Rishi Sunak to repeal the Equality Act 2010.
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said on Tuesday that the Equality Act, which brought in the concept of legally protected characteristics, should be scrapped to address “wokeness” and restore sanity to the workplace.
Speaking on his programme. GB News, a former business secretary said Esther McVey, who was the latest appointee to Rishi Sunak's senior team as a minister without portfolio in the Cabinet Office, will not be able to challenge political correctness without abandoning the law.
Sir Jacob said workers should be given the opportunity to “get on with their work rather than spend all their time and energy on moralistic progressivism.”
81 per cent of more than 8,000 voters supported repealing the Equality Act, according to a poll by The Telegraph.
“More divisive”
Reader Steve Procter, for example, believes the legislation will “destroy the efficiency and competitiveness of British businesses.” LikewiseTom Andersonargues that “businesses exist solely to increase profits.”
“Like diversity and inclusion, it detracts from a company's mission,” he added.
Meanwhile, another reader, John Keats, argues that the Act “leads to positive discrimination against minorities.” and prevents managers from doing their job of maintaining standards and discipline for fear that their careers will be ruined by the woke mob throwing crap. It has become the perfect weapon for people to oppose attempts to improve their work behaviour, attitudes and results.”
Elsewhere: Moirelyn Juula, believes the Act has caused more controversy: ” Moralistic progressivism was a step backwards. It has done more harm to the country and caused more controversy than anything else I can think of in this day and age.
“It has been used as a weapon against common sense, but, worst of all, as a means to destroy our society and reduce it to mediocrity.”
“Fourteen years too late”
Reader Chris Dawson believes the law “has been weaponized by the left.” This view is shared byMichael Holdsworthwho, although convinced that the legislation contains important protections, believes that it should only be used as a “shield against discrimination and harmful practices.”
< p>Although readerAnthony Smithdoesn't think the Equality Act is “bad legislation”, he thinks there are two problems with it.
“First, it's not applied evenly,” he says. “No company ever looks at its actions and worries about anti-white racism that is against the Law, just as most companies are paranoid about being found racist against other groups.”
“Secondly, it separates rights from responsibilities. The rights of one person are considered completely in isolation, without regard to the rights of other people or that person's obligations to society.”
For many readers, it is simply too late. As Lenny Telion puts it: “You were fourteen years too late with this and other last-gasp ideas to stay in power.”
“With an 80-seat majority, this country could be so different and so much better. A once in a lifetime opportunity and you did absolutely nothing. Every day another drop of sanity is eroded and England has become the most depressing place to live.”
“Obey the Law, Defy the Wokists”
However, 19 percent of readers voted against the write-off.
Reader Al Giss, for example, believes Sir Jacob's comments are a victory for the Labor Party at the polls: “Jacob Rees-Mogg seems obsessed with getting Labor elected. Even if there was nuance to what he was saying, he simply gave Labor an election billboard: “Let's abolish equal rights.” Perhaps that's not what he meant, but it's a billboard he can't complain about.”
ForAndré Tonsil“The title of Acts of Parliament unfortunately doesn't work in a world where people have an attention span of three seconds. If you say you want to repeal the Equality Act or the Human Rights Act, you must be an extremist.
“If the Tories were smarter, they would say: 'Replace the Equality Act 2010 with the new Equality and Kindness Act 2023.' '. In any case, all politics is marketing.”
As for Alan Corts, the problem “is not in the legislation, but in its application.”
“ “Weak management, government officials and powerful minority groups using social media intimidation to stifle honest debate and the use of common sense are promoting a 'woke' culture that is leading the UK to destruction,” he continues.
WhereasGeoff Wynnbelieves“We must preserve the Equality Act to allow biological women to achieve true equality.”
“Wokery in all its manifestations must be opposed at every stage of management by active arguments, meeting every loud statement of this minority, which has attracted media attention solely due to the volume of its completely unethical output. Follow the law, stand up to the vokists and show composure,” he added.
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