What is the purpose of Liz Truss’s new ‘Popular Conservatism’ group?

As Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister launches a new Conservative faction – just what the Tories don’t need – Sean O’Grady asks if it’s an attempt to steer the party to the right, or if this is all about Truss’s endless desire to rehabilitate her career in the wake of her catastrophic seven weeks in No 10

Break out the PopCon: the irrepressible Liz Truss is launching what amounts to yet another Truss fan club (PA)

The irrepressible Liz Truss, who boasts the shortest-lived premiership in British history, is launching what amounts to yet another Truss fan club, “PopCon”. It is partly aimed at rehabilitating her political career – and, presumably, at securing her some kind of role in the reconstruction of the right with the Conservative Party in opposition, as seems inevitable after the next general election. It also represents a futile, performative attempt to influence Rishi Sunak’s election manifesto.

The unlikely name “PopCon” stands for “popular conservatism” and is “aiming to restore democratic accountability to Britain and deliver popular conservative policies”. The small “c” there is presumably not accidental – there’ll be an emphasis on social conservatism as well as neoliberal economics. Some will wonder whether the Tory party really needs another splinter group...

So what is ‘popular conservatism’?