Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the Equality Act should be scrapped to tackle “wokery” and restore common sense to the workplace. 

The former business secretary said workers needed to be allowed to “get on with their jobs, not spend all their time and energy in moralistic progressivism”. 

Sir Jacob described the Equality Act as “wokery in legislative form” and argued Esther McVey will not be able to fully succeed in her role as the Government’s minister for common sense unless the legislation is repealed. 

He told GB News: “So, the minister for common sense was brought in to make sure that employees can spend their time doing the jobs for which they’re paid, not worrying about who’s tender sensitivities they may offend nor complying with ever emerging Newspeak nor filling a gender or race diversity quota.

“And this is the great aim for Esther. I wish her success, I want her to succeed: it is fundamentally important, it will lead to a better, more efficient state. But there is a difficulty and the difficulty is the Equality Act which creates the public sector equality duty, which has put wokery into legislative form.

“Before she can really win her battle, this Bill will need to be repealed and that way taxpayer value can be restored.”

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