Former Prime Minister Liz Truss is gearing up to unveil a new political movement named “Popular Conservatives,” or “Pop Cons,” aimed at energizing right-wing Tory MPs ahead of the upcoming general election.
Truss, alongside former Cabinet minister Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Lee Anderson, the recently resigned deputy Tory chairman over the Rwanda Bill, is scheduled to headline the central London event on Tuesday.
The movement intends to exert pressure on Chancellor Rishi Sunak to implement tax cuts, adopt stringent immigration policies, and withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
In his anticipated speech, Sir Jacob is set to critique what he terms an “activist judiciary” and an “out-of-touch oligarchy,” emphasizing the need to restore power to Parliament and away from quasi-autonomous non-governmental organizations (quangos) and a politically influenced judiciary.
The group’s stance is underscored by recent events, notably the legal hurdles faced in sending asylum seekers to Rwanda, with the Strasbourg court issuing a last-minute injunction in 2022.
Despite assertions that the movement is not aimed at toppling Sunak, who continues to grapple with Labour’s lead in polls, Sir Jacob emphasized the importance of stability in party leadership.
However, he expressed a desire for Nigel Farage, founder of Reform UK and GB News presenter, to join the Conservative Party, adding a layer of intrigue to the movement’s dynamics.
Meanwhile, Truss, who resigned as prime minister after a tumultuous 44-day tenure marked by economic upheaval, remains committed to her agenda of tax reduction and small-government conservatism, despite facing low public favorability.
Mark Littlewood, a Truss ally and outgoing head of the libertarian Institute of Economic Affairs, stressed the Conservatives’ responsibility to champion economic freedom and lower taxes, underscoring the core tenets of the Popular Conservatives movement.
The Pop Cons movement enters an already crowded landscape of right-wing Conservative factions, including the Brexiteer European Research Group, the New Conservatives, and the Common Sense Group.
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