On Tuesday, remnants of the Conservative party’s right wing, defeated in the recent elections, amassed in an ancient church in Westminster to reflect on the extent of their loss and strategise their comeback. Simultaneously, MPs – which included Labour’s burgeoning group of 412 victorious candidates – convened in an adjacent parliament to be inducted into the House of Commons.
The Evangelical Emmanuel Church on Marsham Street, whence the Tories’ Popular Conservatives (PopCon) wing had first sprung amidst widespread media coverage, played host to the gathering. Ex-prime minister Liz Truss had been the cynosure at its initiation.
The current scenario, however, was markedly different. The conference, organised to plan a revival of the party, had Truss notably missing – she had lost her Westminster position the previous week. The ambience was sombre and near-distressed among the few right-wingers who had turned up to a two-thirds deserted auditorium.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, former MP and hardcore Brexiteer, sought to enliven the low-spirited gathering. Despite PopCon’s label, he caustically remarked on the Tories’ lack of popularity and conservatism from the platform. His sibling, former Tory MEP Annunziata Rees-Mogg, greeted the sparse attendance and proposed the PopCon meeting would aim to enlighten attendees on “why the voters deserted us”.
Mark Littlewood, the director of PopCon and a failed nominee for peerage by Truss, condemned the trend among beaten political factions to tilt toward the political centre to regain voter confidence. “The centre should sway toward you, not the other way around,” he asserted.
Moreover, historian David Starkey declared with an air of mockery that his “father was a toolmaker,” mocking Labour leader Keir Starmer’s frequently cited metaphor to reinforce his working-class background. On similar lines to Littlewood, Starkey voiced his critique of the Conservative party’s recent left-leaning tendencies.
A blistering critique came in the form of Starkey’s rebuke of past prime minister David Cameron’s administration from 2010 to 2016. Referring to Cameron’s act of legalising gay marriage as his most significant accomplishment, Starkey proclaimed it “deranged “and a deviation from conservative ideologies.
Daniel Hannan, a distinguished author and Lord, expressed belief that the popularity of Labour is transient. According to him, in distressing times, it will become evident to the masses that the existing issues from the previous Tory government remain unresolved. Hannan also emphasised the need for Tories with right-wing ideologies to provide “constructive opposition” to Starmer’s leadership.
David Frost, a fellow Lord and one of the UK’s key figures in its Brexit negotiations, indicated that he may contemplate exiting the Tory party if it doesn’t adhere to what he perceives as core conservative ideologies. He was quoted saying that the party’s interest in our ideas determines its worth, displaying his loyalty towards ideas rather than the institution itself.
Suella Braverman, a former Home Secretary with leadership goals, broadcasted a message from Washington whilst attending a conference for American conservatives. At the same time, Rees-Mogg cautioned that the Conservative Party does not inherently deserve right-wing votes.
Later, during a parliamentary session, winners of constituency elections pledged loyalty to King Charles, as part of their initiation as MPs. Colum Eastwood, leader of the Social Democratic and Labour Party and winner of the Foyle seat in Derry, was amongst them. He communicated to the House of Commons staff that he agrees to the oath under protest, solely to serve his constituents.
Subsequently, he was officially sworn in, securing his position for the upcoming five years. This leaves Tories like Rees-Mogg to strategize their return after their defeat.