Liz Truss’ attempt to spearhead a ‘Trump-style movement’ in the UK faced a disappointing turnout at her conservative conference. The venue, with a capacity for 500 attendees, was sparsely filled during the initial day of CPAC GB, a British equivalent of the prominent pro-Trump convention in the US. In an interview with the Mirror, Truss admitted that there is ongoing work to be done.
Despite being organized by Truss, a member of the Conservative Party, the event featured appearances by fellow Tories such as Jacob Rees Mogg and Iain Duncan Smith, alongside Reform figures like Matt Goodwin and Suella Braverman.
The conference also drew individuals from the fringes of populist politics, including Jack Posobiec, a Trump-affiliated influencer, Young Bob, a far-right teenage provocateur, and George Simion, a Romanian far-right leader who touched on the controversial “Great Replacement” theory in his speech.
When questioned about the diverse attendees, Truss denounced criticism as leftist “whataboutery” and expressed concern about the demonization of right-wing individuals. She tried her hand at a golf simulator during the event but admitted to not performing well.
Earlier during the conference, Truss became emotional during tributes to Ann Widdecombe, a former Conservative colleague. Responding to the low turnout, Jacob Rees Mogg attributed it to the event being in its initial stages and the relative unfamiliarity of CPAC in the UK. He also expressed support for Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election, emphasizing the importance of Farage to the Reform movement.
