Liz Truss’ bid for ‘Trump-style revolution’ in Britain falls flat as CPAC GB fails to attract crowds
The 500 capacity hall at CPAC GB, a spinoff of America’s biggest pro-Trump conference was barely a third full for most of the opening day. Speaking to the Mirror, Ms Truss acknowledged: “The work is still underway, it’s fair to say”
Truss acknowledged “the work is still underway”(Image: Getty Images)
Liz Truss’ bid to lead a ‘Trump-style revolution’ in Britain fell embarrassingly flat as she struggled to attract an audience at her right-wing conference.
The 500 capacity hall at CPAC GB, a spinoff of America’s biggest pro-Trump conference was barely a third full for most of the opening day. Speaking to the Mirror, Ms Truss acknowledged: “The work is still underway, it’s fair to say.”
Despite being hosted by Truss, who confirmed she is still a member of the Conservative Party, she and fellow Tories Jacob Rees Mogg and Iain Duncan Smith shared the stage with Reform figures including failed by-election candidate Matt Goodwin and Suella Braverman.
And the event attracted figures from the fringes of populist politics – including Trump-aligned influencer Jack Posobiec, hard-right teenage provocateur Young Bob and George Simion, the Romanian far-right opposition leader, whose speech included references to the “Great Replacement” white supremacist conspiracy theory.
Asked if she was comfortable with all of those attending, Ms Truss said: “This is classic left wing whataboutery, if you don’t mind me saying. We’ve just had the appalling murder of Ann Widdecombe. People on the right are under attack. And I’m afraid there’s a lot of people on the left who are trying to dehumanise people on the right, and blame push and point fingers.”
Ms Truss tried her hand at the golf simulator at the event – but admitted she had “not done very well.”
Earlier, at the opening of the event, Ms Truss broke down in tears during tributes to former Conservative colleague Ann Widdecombe.
Asked about the poor attendance, Sir Jacob said: “I think it’s just the first and the first is always about building up momentum, getting people to know what CPAC is. Not many people have heard of CPAC in this country. Also, coming out to the “Millennium Dome” is quite far for some of us who are quite SW1-centric.”
And he said he was backing Nigel Farage in the Clacton by-election. “I like Nigel,” he said. “I couldn’t possibly be opposed to him when there isn’t a conservative standing and there is no conservative candidate.
“There is no Reform without Nigel Farage, so it’s very important for them that he does him.”
