New UK official’s office rules: No metric, ‘very’ or ‘got’

LONDON – The new leader of Britain’s House of Commons has a painstaking list of grammar and etiquette rules for his staff.

A memo for employees in Jacob Rees-Mogg’s office directs them to avoid using words such as “very,” ”hopefully” and “got,” and to address men with the courtesy title “esquire.”

Conservative Party lawmaker Rees-Mogg is nicknamed “the honourable member for the 18th century” because of his formal dress, ornate rhetoric and conservative views.

The list, published Friday by ITV News , advises staff to “use Imperial measurements,” put a double space after periods and to put the “Esq.” after the names of non-aristocratic men in correspondence.

Rees-Mogg’s office says the list was written several years ago by his local staff and shared with the new staff after Prime Minister Boris Johnson named him Commons leader on Wednesday.