Jacob Rees-Mogg took his wife and 12-year-old son to his election count last night as he won his seat after being sidelined for most of the campaign.
The Conservative minister was returned in North East Somerset with 50.4 per cent of the vote and an increased majority of 14,729 over Labour.
His wife Helena and son Peter, who was wearing a smart suit and an enormous Tory rosette, joined him at the count in Bath in the early hours of Friday morning.
Mr Rees-Mogg, 50, was hardly seen during of the campaign after causing a furore with his controversial remarks about the Grenfell Tower fire.
Remainers had dreamed of ousting him but the opposition to him was divided almost evenly between Labour and the Liberal Democrats.
Family event: Jacob Rees-Mogg (right) at his election count in Bath in the early hours of Friday morning with his wife Helena and his 12-year-old son Peter
Winner: Conservative minister Jacob Rees-Mogg at the count in Bath where he was re-elected with an overall majority of the vote in North East Somerset
After his victory was declared, Mr Rees-Mogg paid tribute to his family for their help with his campaigning and said there had been ‘some healthy competitive spirit between some of my sons’.
‘My greatest gratitude goes to the prime minister who has managed to win this victory for the Conservative party and to ensure that he can deliver on the promises that he has given,’ he said.
‘I think that his leadership, his inspiration, has been of enormous importance to the Conservative party up and down the country.’
Twelve-year-old Peter is one of Mr Rees-Mogg’s six children, brother to Peter, Mary, Thomas, Anselm and Sixtus.
Mr Rees-Mogg’s vote share was slightly down on the 2017 election.
But his majority increased in absolute terms, as Labour’s share of the vote plummeted and the Liberal Democrats picked up votes.
It is his fourth consecutive victory in the seat after previous wins in 2010, 2015 and 2017.
Mr Rees-Mogg was appointed leader of the House of Commons when Mr Johnson became prime minister in July 2019.
Fourth term: Jacob Rees-Mogg after he was elected as Conservative MP for North East Somerset for the fourth time after his previous wins in 2010, 2015 and 2017
On the trail: Jacob Rees-Mogg and his son, both wearing large Tory rosettes, arrive to vote at a polling station in the village of West Harptree on Thursday
However, his future as a minister is uncertain after an embarrassing gaffe over Grenfell Tower at the start of the election campaign.
Mr Rees-Mogg was widely criticised for suggesting that Grenfell victims should have used ‘common sense’ to ignore official instructions and flee the burning tower.
‘If you just ignore what you’re told and leave, you are so much safer,’ he said during an interview with LBC .
‘And I think if either of us were in a fire, whatever the fire brigade said, we would leave the burning building. It just seems the common sense thing to do.’
He later said he ‘profoundly apologised’ for his comments.
‘What I meant to say is that I would have also listened to the fire brigade’s advice to stay and wait at the time,’ he clarified.
Sidelined: Jacob Rees-Mogg (pictured after his election victory) was almost invisible in the Tory campaign after making controversial remarks about Grenfell Tower
Furore: Mr Rees-Mogg caused controversy with his comments over Grenfell Tower. The tower is pictured burning in June 2017
‘However, with what we know now and with hindsight I wouldn’t and I don’t think anyone else would.’
Mr Rees-Mogg was hardly seen on the campaign trail after that as the Tories sidelined him to avoid any further embarrassment.
Mr Johnson refused to say whether Mr Rees-Mogg would remain in the Cabinet when he was asked by LBC last month.
The PM swept to victory in the general election, making historic gains in Labour heartlands as voters backed his call to ‘get Brexit done’.
The result is a humiliation for Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, who saw voters reject his vision of a socialist Britain.
Mr Corbyn announced at his Islington North count that he would not lead Labour into another general election.