Liz Truss launches Popular Conservatives – aka PopCon – movement. But what is it?
Liz Truss has introduced a new movement within the Conservative Party, termed Popular Conservatism.
During an event in Westminster on Tuesday, she was accompanied by prominent figures from the right-wing faction of the party, including her former business secretary, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, and former deputy chairman Lee Anderson. Notably, former Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage was also present in the audience.
What is Popular Conservatism?
Dubbed ‘PopCons’ – the group says its role is to “excite the public” and give them “freedom over their lives”, taking control away from “faceless” organisations – which they define as judges, quangos and international human rights institutions.
They claim they are not a movement against the current Tory leadership.
Key Ideas for PopCons
- Want “robust control” over borders. Back Rawnda plan but want to push the government further in demanding the UK exits the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) if it stands in the way of flights taking off.
- Address the “crippling tax burden” people face, and they will push for further cuts before the general election.
- PopCons demand an end to “Net Zero zealotry”, and want to “dismantle the nanny state finger-wagging institutions that attempt to regulate free speech, lifestyle and thought”.
- PopCons are wanting to help shape the next Tory manifesto in the months ahead, according to ITV.
‘We’ve failed to take on left-wing extremists’
Former PM Liz Truss says at the PopCon group launch
Who’s part of the PopCon movement?
The UK’s shortest-serving PM Liz Truss and former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg are in the new faction of the party.
- Former PM Liz Truss
- Former cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Lee Anderson
- Priti Patel
- Simon Clarke
- Ranil Jayawardena
- Mark Littlewood
Reform founder Nigel Farage was also in attendance at the launch rally but he denied he is looking to join the Tory party or the PopCon movement “at the moment.”
“I’m not looking to join the Tory party, you must be joking,” he said. “Not at the moment, given what they stand for. And as far as this group’s concerned, I’d rather be part of Reform because that’s the real thing.”
Related Stories
Liz Truss and the PopCon attention seekers
Nigel Farage: Ideas from Liz Truss ‘will be very popular’ among Tories and voters generally
Liz Truss is offering lessons on how to be popular