Popular Conservatism… with Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party averaging just 24% in the polls, many might conclude two such words are an oxymoron.
With a new faction in town – dubbed PopCon – will this remain the case?
On Tuesday the 8th of February the launch of PopCon – a libertarian faction within the Conservative Party – took place, spearheaded by the former director general of the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) Mark Littlewood.
The group consists of a number of senior Conservative politicians including former Prime Minister Liz Truss, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lee Anderson, and argues for lower taxation, tougher immigration policies and an end to the nanny state that currently runs rampant in Britain.
Headlining the event was Liz Truss, who still remains very popular among grassroot Conservatives, receiving a particularly large reception.
“The Conservatives have not taken on the left-wing extremists”, she stated. Whilst not a direct criticism of Sunak’s government, it reflects growing calls among Conservatives for the Party to shift further to the right.
With the general election drawing near, PopCon can be seen as a challenge to the grip that one-nation tories have on the Party right now. This comes following mounting support for the right-wing populist party Reform UK, receiving a record 13% in the polls. With election efforts in full swing, PopCon supporters may attempt to regain some of these voters by promoting robust conservative values, with former Conservative Party chairman Lee Anderson calling for an end to Net Zero and Truss stating, “People want lower legal immigration”.
Other notable attendees included Dame Priti Patel, former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage and Austrailian actress Holly Valance, reflecting the factions’ ‘popular’ status.
In an interview, Farage said that the PopCon faction was a “very small minority” in the Conservative Party. “The parliamentary Conservative Party are now so far away from the centre of gravity of most conservative voters”, he added. Reflecting on the results of the 2022 Conservative Leadership Contest, this denotes some truth, with Truss receiving a clear majority of the members’ vote over Sunak, but not among MPs.
Truss’ ejection from No. 10 reflects how Conservative voters were left feeling disenfranchised by the end of 2022. It is no wonder voter apathy is a major problem for the Party now.
This raises the question of whether the PopCon faction can turn the tide for the Conservative Party and achieve electoral success.
James Randal is a student and writer of Current Affairs with a specialist interest in macroeconomics. Follow James on Twitter here.
Please please we need to turf; Mr Sunak or put Boris and Priti Patel in, to sort this out.
Mr Sunak thinks he can manage with out
Boris. NO HE CAN’T WHEN’S HE GOING TO get this through his head!!
Boris said he’d come back ,not come yet!! When on earth come back?
We feel so helpless over this.
When the 1922 committee,or enough Conservative Democratic members.
I hate to say,what’s the hold up NOW?
We as a family have NO FAITH IN MR SUNAK?especially after yesterday’s results for bi elections.
We have trust in the Conservative Democratic Party.
We’d like to know some more,about Eliz TRUSS new party,and how much it cost.?
What are they planning to do?
We. Certainly don’t want Starmner collecting the key’s to 10 Downing Street.
Unfortunately I can’t get to meetings that your doing,as I live in Surrey and no transport. Possibly Zoom or Microsoft
Teams.
Please can you confirm urgently.
Thank you so much Lorna Murray Mrs.
Member.
Is it possible when conferences?for me to be set up by Zoom or texts.? N
Please reply
Lornamurray59@gmail.com