Liz Truss's launch this morning made a lot of noise, but raised more questions than answers (Image: Getty)
The crowd fell silent without being told, almost as if it sensed the presence of Liz Truss in the building.
One troublesome journalist heckled: “Here comes the bride”, but didn’t get many laughs. The audience was genuinely excited to be in the presence of the former Prime Minister.
After a period in the proverbial wilderness, Liz Truss marched back into SW1 to properly command a new band of loyal MPs demanding grassroots debates about future Tory policy.
For an hour, we were treated to a concerto of populist Tory policy: on everything from abandoning Net Zero (Lee Anderson) and abolishing the Supreme Court (Jacob Rees-Mogg); to reversing Mr Sunak’s incoming ban on cigarettes (Mhairi Fraser) and an end to “wokism” in schools (Truss).
Powered By
00:00/02:20
10
10
Arsenal 3-1 Liverpool: John Cross' verdict
Share
Next
Stay
The audience liked it; the assembled press - forced to stand for two hours due to the packed audience - lapped up the continued Tory infighting and SW1 personality politics.
READ MORE: Liz Truss's new election game plan is getting back to 'what Tories need to win'
Stay up-to-date with the latest Politics news Join us on WhatsApp Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info
Ms Truss attracted a huge crown, and plenty of the media (Image: Getty)
The main hurdle for Ms Truss et al, however, was to explain the purpose of the group. I remain unconvinced that she succeeded in this endeavour.
Since Ms Truss was ousted in 2022, the number of right-wing Tory factions has near-doubled, making it hard for even those of us in Westminster to keep up.
The European Research Group (ERG) is 30 years old; The Northern Research Group (NRG) came about during Boris Johnson’s era; the Common Sense Group in 2018.
But since 2022 we’ve seen the New Conservatives, the Conservative Growth Group, and the Conservative Democratic Organisation spring up.
Then there’s the China Research Group, the Net Zero scrutiny group, and that’s before you mention the centrist caucuses like the One Nation faction.
Don't miss...
Welby to face demands to answer for Church's role in illegal migrant acid attack [LATEST]
'Look what you have done' Furious Tory members believe MPs have destroyed party [LATEST]
Brexiteer warns Sunak 'played like an Irish fiddle' as PM celebrates EU deal [LATEST]
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Jacob Rees-Mogg railed against woke judges (Image: Getty)
The fact that many of these groups largely consist of the same right-wing, trouble-making MPs doesn’t help with understanding their differences. It often appears like a dedicated parody of Monty Python’s ‘People's Front of Judea’ sketch.
So where exactly do the PopCons fit into this ecosystem? One individual involved in organising it said that it’s grassroots, unlike the Conservative Growth Group which is MP-led; It’s less culturally right-wing than the New Conservatives; it’s like the Conservative Democratic Organisation insofar as being focussed on the Tory grassroots, but not as interested in internal party constitutional change.
Does that clear things up for you? Because it didn’t really help me.
The event took place in the evangelical Emmanuel Centre, with all speakers preaching beneath the engraved Bible quote: “My little children let us not love in word, neither in tongue but in deed and in truth”.
There was a lot of talking today, but few plans for ‘deeds’, let alone changes to Tory Party policy.
"Britain is full of secret Conservatives - people who agree with us but don't want to admit it".
Former PM Liz Truss explains what her new movement, Popular Conservatism, is about. https://t.co/nf9hYn7tHO
？？？？？？ Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/nQe6SP8W4E
— Sky News (@SkyNews) February 6, 2024
Trending
Ms Truss argued: “Britain is full of secret Conservatives - people who agree with us but don’t want to admit it”.
That may be true. The country certainly isn’t full of Starmerites desperate to put Labour in power to achieve the square root of nothing.
However I remain unconvinced that Ms Truss is the person to spearhead a Popular Conservatives movement. She may be right on many issues, and a star in Westminster, but the public remains frosty to say the least.
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Liz Truss's new election game plan is getting back to 'what Tories need to win', says MP
948 Comments
Tory members threaten to vote Reform unless one of these three people replaces Rishi Sunak
716 Comments
Boris Johnson backed for comeback by Tory minister after Rishi Sunak opens door
529 Comments
Brian May backs Carol Vorderman in campaign against the Tories as he issues urgent plea
323 Comments
Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'
213 Comments
Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden
33 Comments
Brexiteer warns Rishi Sunak being 'played like an Irish fiddle' as PM celebrates EU deal
546 Comments
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Jeremy Hunt lose seats in 'Red Wall moment' countryside poll shock
1110 Comments
Labour's ‘hypocrite' Rochdale candidate demanded Tory suspension for anti-Semitic remark
216 Comments
The Tories risk leaving Labour with no money left after the election
120 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
405 Comments
Meet the country's newest life peers - including the youngest ever to be nominated
110 Comments
Mhairi Fraser: Rising star with key role at Liz Truss's 'Popular Conservatives' launch
38 Comments
Ex-Neighbours star Holly Valance could be Tories 'secret weapon' at election, MPs say
81 Comments
Liz Truss is on a mission to show the Tories they have an alternative to Rishi Sunak
24 Comments
Holly Valance issues brutal swipe at 'c*** lefties' and hails Lee Anderson at Tory event
501 Comments
Lee Anderson got 'a two-word answer' when he explained how to reduce energy bills
136 Comments
Boris Johnson says he'll only return to politics if Rishi Sunak gives him a call
280 Comments
Tories urged to bring Boris Johnson back for 'game-changing' general election campaign
153 Comments
Liz Truss's new election game plan is getting back to 'what Tories need to win', says MP
948 Comments
Tory members threaten to vote Reform unless one of these three people replaces Rishi Sunak
716 Comments
Boris Johnson backed for comeback by Tory minister after Rishi Sunak opens door
529 Comments
Brian May backs Carol Vorderman in campaign against the Tories as he issues urgent plea
323 Comments
Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'
213 Comments
Slippery Starmer still committed to ‘farcical eco plan' - Richard Holden
33 Comments
Brexiteer warns Rishi Sunak being 'played like an Irish fiddle' as PM celebrates EU deal
546 Comments
Jacob Rees-Mogg and Jeremy Hunt lose seats in 'Red Wall moment' countryside poll shock
1110 Comments
Labour's ‘hypocrite' Rochdale candidate demanded Tory suspension for anti-Semitic remark
216 Comments
The Tories risk leaving Labour with no money left after the election
120 Comments
Rishi Sunak issues warning over Labour as Brits urged not to fall for Keir Starmer's 'con'
405 Comments
Meet the country's newest life peers - including the youngest ever to be nominated
110 Comments
Mhairi Fraser: Rising star with key role at Liz Truss's 'Popular Conservatives' launch
38 Comments
Ex-Neighbours star Holly Valance could be Tories 'secret weapon' at election, MPs say
81 Comments
Liz Truss is on a mission to show the Tories they have an alternative to Rishi Sunak
24 Comments
Holly Valance issues brutal swipe at 'c*** lefties' and hails Lee Anderson at Tory event
501 Comments
Lee Anderson got 'a two-word answer' when he explained how to reduce energy bills
136 Comments
Boris Johnson says he'll only return to politics if Rishi Sunak gives him a call
280 Comments
Tories urged to bring Boris Johnson back for 'game-changing' general election campaign
153 Comments
Liz Truss's new election game plan is getting back to 'what Tories need to win', says MP
948 Comments
Tory members threaten to vote Reform unless one of these three people replaces Rishi Sunak
716 Comments
Boris Johnson backed for comeback by Tory minister after Rishi Sunak opens door
529 Comments
Brian May backs Carol Vorderman in campaign against the Tories as he issues urgent plea
323 Comments
Rishi Sunak lashes back at Labour's 'dirty tricks'
213 Comments
One former No.10 special advisor who served under Ms Truss texted me afterwards: “That was classic Liz”. Her diagnosis is correct, but she is simply far too unpopular to fight for the solutions needed.”
The event was also overshadowed by the news that Kwasi Kwarteng, Ms Truss’s Chancellor who presided over the disastrous Mini Budget and found out he’d been sacked via Twitter, is to stand down at the election. Combined with two of Ms Truss’s closest MP allies not attending (Simon Clarke and Ranil Jayawardena), and you get the sense many of those even on the Trussite wing of the Tory Party no longer think the project is quite as popular as billed.
In the meantime, Rishi Sunak will once again have to exert energy getting Westminster to focus on his Government, rather than the never-ending blue-on-blue circus.
Related articles Tory MP backs call by Brianna Ghey’s mother to ban under 16s using social media Rishi Sunak wins over social media with hilarious Piers Morgan put-down Fury at Church of England as document reveals huge role in Asylum merry-go-round Rishi Sunak takes brutal swipe at ‘terrorist sympathiser’ Keir Starmer Rishi Sunak accused of hypocrisy over ￡1,000 Rwanda bet with Piers Morgan