Right-Wing Thinkers Converge In London, Shaping Britain's Political Landscape

Right-wing intellectuals from across the globe gathered in London this week, providing a glimpse into how the UK's ruling Conservative party might elevate the "culture wars" as a prominent issue for the upcoming general election and beyond. The inaugural Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference featured speakers who voiced concerns about "woke capitalism," decried the perceived decline of the West, criticized economic regulations, and scrutinized multiculturalism. Conservative MP Danny Kruger, representing the right-wing faction of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's party, emphasized the significance of the culture war. He stated, "A lot of Conservatives think that it's a distraction, that it's just the concern of rival fanatics on either side. Actually, it's about the core character of our country and about the future for our children." The three-day event, which concluded on Wednesday in Greenwich, saw prominent Tory lawmakers, influential US Republicans, and online conservative influencers and television personalities coming together. The organizers described the gathering as a significant meeting of international political, business, and cultural leaders seeking alternatives to "big government and top-down solutions." Notable UK government ministers, Michael Gove and Kemi Badenoch, delivered speeches, as did former US House of Representatives speaker Kevin McCarthy, controversial Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, and US TV doctor Mehmet Oz. Current House speaker and Donald Trump ally Mike Johnson and Republican presidential nomination candidate Vivek Ramaswamy addressed the conference virtually. Ramaswamy condemned "woke capitalism" as a "cancer" on society, while McCarthy criticized the impact of "cancel culture" and called for an end to "victimhood." The convergence of these influential conservative voices in London signals a potential shift in the UK's political landscape, with the "culture wars" gaining prominence in political discourse.