Popular Conservatism

Right-wing British political group

Popular Conservatism

Formation| February 6, 2024; 17 months ago (2024-02-06)
Founder| Mark Littlewood
Purpose|

* Conservatism
* Right-libertarianism

Director

| Mark Littlewood
Website| www.popularconservatism.com

Popular Conservatism or PopCon, is a right-wing[1] faction within the Conservative Party of the United Kingdom.[2] The director of the group is Mark Littlewood, who is an ally of the former prime minister Liz Truss.[3]

## Ideology

[edit]

The group is ideologically on the right wing of the Conservative Party, particularly on economic issues. It is right-libertarian and opposes what it sees as a left-wing establishment consensus, saying: "a majority in the House of Commons is no longer enough to turn us away from the path of Blairite declinism. The institutions of Britain – from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) to the Supreme Court to the Climate Change Committee – now stand in the way of meaningful reform".[4]

## History

[edit]

The inaugural public meeting of the movement was held at the Emmanuel Centre, London on 6 February 2024. Speakers included former minister Jacob Rees-Mogg, backbench MP Lee Anderson, and political strategist and lobbyist Matthew Elliott. In the audience were former Home Secretary Priti Patel, former minister and Brexit negotiator David Frost, former UKIP and Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, attending in his capacity as a journalist for GB News,[5][6] and former actress and pop singer Holly Valance.[7]

The group met again at the same venue on 9 July 2024, following Labour's landslide victory in the 2024 UK General Election. Liz Truss, who lost her seat in the election, was not present. Jacob Rees-Mogg, who had also lost his seat, was amongst the speakers. Suella Braverman contributed with a recorded message.[8]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Courea, Eleni (2024-02-06). "Truss's PopCon group splinters on launch but attacks Sunak's policies". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
2. ^ Runciman, David (2024-03-30). "'She still carries an aura of spectacular failure': why hasn't Liz Truss gone away?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2025-02-12. "Truss must know that she is not going to get a chance to have another go herself. Her party is on its way out of government and it may not be back for a long time. Even if the coming general election produces a rump Conservative party in Westminster that turns to a leader from one of its far-right factions, it will not be Truss, and nor will it be Rees-Mogg. They are damaged goods, whatever your ideological persuasion. Mark Littlewood acknowledged at the launch of PopCon that his new organisation was not in the business of trying to find someone to replace Rishi Sunak."
3. ^ "Liz Truss 'PopCons' comeback bid hit by chaos as key Tory allies drop out". The Independent. 2024-02-06. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
4. ^ Runciman, David (30 March 2024). "'She still carries an aura of spectacular failure': why hasn't Liz Truss gone away?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 15 April 2024.
5. ^ Hyde, Marina (2024-02-06). "Listen up! It's Liz Truss and the PopCons, the Tory tribute act sounding a death knell for irony". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-02-07.
6. ^ "PopCon: What is Popular Conservatism as Liz Truss launches new Tory movement?". ITV News. 6 February 2024. Retrieved 13 February 2024.
7. ^ "Holly Valance criticises 'leftie' ideas - and backs Jacob Rees-Mogg for PM". Sky News. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 16 June 2024.
8. ^ "Popular Conservatives clan meets in Westminster amid agreement Tories are neither 'popular nor conservative'". The Irish Times. Retrieved 10 July 2024.

## See also

[edit]

* Free Enterprise Group – previous group of Conservative MPs founded by Truss
* Free Market Forum – successor to the Free Enterprise Group

## External links

[edit]

* Official website

* v
* t
* e

Liz Truss

* Prime Minister of the United Kingdom (2022)
* Leader of the Conservative Party (2022)
* MP for South West Norfolk (2010–2024)

Premiership|

| Ministry|

* Electoral history
* 2022 Conservative Party leadership election
* War in Ukraine
* Cost-of-living crisis
* Industrial disputes
* Postal workers' strikes
* Railway strikes
* NHS strikes
* September 2022 mini-budget
* October 2022 government crisis
* Daily Star lettuce
* "Anti-growth coalition"
* Resignation Honours

|

Other offices
held|

* Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs (2021–2022)
* Minister for Women and Equalities (2019–2022)
* Secretary of State for International Trade and President of the Board of Trade (2019–2021)
* Chief Secretary to the Treasury (2017–2019)
* Secretary of State for Justice and Lord Chancellor (2016–2017)
* Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (2014–2016)
* Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Childcare and Education (2012–2014)

Family|

* Hugh O'Leary (husband)
* John Truss (father)

Groups|

* Free Enterprise Group
* Free Market Forum
* Popular Conservatism

Books|

| By Truss|

* After the Coalition (2011)
* Britannia Unchained (2012)
* Ten Years to Save the West (2024)

|

About Truss|

* Out of the Blue (2022)
* Truss at 10 (2024)

* ← Boris Johnson
* Rishi Sunak →

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