The Sunday Times reports that Liz Truss is launching a new movement, Popular Conservatism, on Tuesday.
According to the paper, several hundred guests are expected at the event in central London, including Nigel Farage, although 'sources' say he has been invited only in his role as a GB News presenter.
Director of the new initiative is Mark Littlewood, former director-general of the Institute of Economic Affairs (pictured above at the Forest Freedom Dinner in 2014).
I should have known something was afoot because on January 26, almost two months after Mark stood down as director-general, the IEA issued a press release announcing that he was moving on completely, even relinquishing the title ‘senior economics fellow’.
I’m guessing that was not unrelated to Mark’s new role running a ‘grassroots movement of popular conservatism’.
Anyway, on Wednesday evening, 24 hours after the launch of Popular Conservatism (aka PopCon), another Conservative MP, Philip Davies, is hosting a rather smaller event at the House of Commons on behalf of Forest.
It’s a reception with speakers, the aim of which is to highlight the breadth of opposition to the generational tobacco ban.
Invited guests include MPs and peers, plus individuals and representatives of groups outside parliament who oppose the ban.
As I say, it's not a large event but the good news is that it is fully subscribed.
I can’t deny I’m a bit jealous, though, because I would love to be organising something on the scale of the PopCon event.
Back in October, after Rishi Sunak’s announcement, I did come up with an idea for a large event to oppose the tobacco ban (part of a broader campaign).
I suggested one of two venues in Westminster - the Emmanuel Centre or Church House, both of which can accommodate 300 people - and among the proposed speakers were Liz Truss and Nigel Farage.
Sadly, we didn’t have the resources to take it any further, hence the more modest event at the House of Commons.
I am nevertheless extremely grateful to Philip Davies for hosting it, not least because this is the second time he has hosted an event for Forest in the House.
The previous time was on July 1, 2008, which was the first anniversary of the public smoking ban in England.
On that occasion he hosted a 'champagne tea party' and we invited MPs and a small group of people for whom the ban had had a major social or economic impact.
As I wrote here, the event exceeded expectations. Including our host, there were 17 MPs plus five peers. Sadly, most of them are no longer in parliament, or have subsequently died.
From that event emerged the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign that was launched in 2009 with the help of … Mark Littlewood, who was then director of a small classical liberal think tank called Progressive Vision.
Mark was one of a number of speakers that day. Another was … Nigel Farage.
The primary aim of the Save Our Pubs & Clubs campaign was to persuade MPs to amend the smoking ban.
That part of the campaign ultimately failed but not before 80+ MPs supported a private member's bill to allow designated smoking rooms in pubs and clubs.
The campaign also featured a reception for 200 people on the terrace of the House of Commons. It's remembered today largely for the appearance of Britain’s greatest living artist. (See David Hockney lights up the House of Commons.)
This week's event may be smaller but it's no less ambitious. Our goal? To stop the generational tobacco ban.
A tall order, certainly, but I've never been one to throw in the towel so we'll give it our best shot until there is nothing more we can do.
Meanwhile, if anyone represents popular conservatism it’s Philip Davies, the Conservative MP for Shipley.
Elected to Parliament in 2005 by the slender margin of 422 votes (defeating the incumbent Labour MP), in 2010 he retained his seat with a greatly increased majority of 9,944 votes.
Although it slipped a little in 2015, and fell to 4,681 votes two years later, he nevertheless increased his share of the vote in 2017, and in 2019 increased his majority to 6,242.
Unlike many MPs who set their sights on ministerial positions and even the Cabinet, Philip’s ambition was always to be a good constituency MP, and in my experience he is also one of the most principled politicians we have.
For example, he has never hidden the fact that he dislikes smoking. Despite that, he has consistently voted against anti-smoking legislation because he is firmly against excessive state intervention.
In fact it’s no exaggeration to say that if there were more Conservative MPs like Philip Davies in parliament both the party and the Government might not be in the mess they are, flip-flopping from one unconservative policy to another.
As for Popular Conservatism, we’ll learn more about it on Tuesday, but I wish it well. The Tories may be toast, election-wise, in 2024 but there’s still the future to fight for.
Below: David Hockney with Greg Knight (now The Rt Hon Sir Greg Knight) MP at the Save Our Pubs & Clubs reception on the terrace of the House of Commons in June 2011
