Brexit-born National Conservatives: A new breed in UK's far-right

For three days – May 15 to 17 – a group known as the ‘National Conservatives’ is hosting a rare conference in London to discuss areas of politics, education, activism and family values and traditions.

The group – shortened to NatCon – is not a household name in the UK or the US, where it has its roots in a rightwing think tank, the Edmund Burke Foundation.

Since 2016, the group has been holding get-togethers at a rotating list of international venues.

In London, senior right-wing figures and populist right-leaning MPs from the Conservative Party – such as Suella Braverman, Miriam Cates, Micheal Gove and Jacob Rees-Mogg – flocked to the event to advocate a low-tax, low-regulation model of government and openly discuss post-Brexit, family-oriented conservatism.

Miriam Cates says this national conservatism was born out of the 2016 Brexit referendum and Tory 2019 election victory, stressing that it prioritises the interests and values of the British public rather than the intelligentsia, the globalised elite.

There has been debate concerning certain Conservatives’ support of national conservatism. Opponents claim the movement promotes division and has far-right tendencies. Concerns have been expressed regarding the possible erosion of liberal democratic values and the consolidation of exclusionary policies.

The NatCon conference has also attracted internationally renowned conservative figures. JD Vance, a senator from Ohio endorsed by Donald Trump, and Rod Dreher, a writer and outspoken supporter of Hungary's President Viktor Orban, are prominent speakers at the event.

Who runs the event?

National conservatism in the UK is a project of the Edmund Burke Foundation that aims to “restore a world of independent nations”. It has branches in the US, UK, Hungary and the Netherlands.

The organisers of the conference said it is an opportunity to bring together people who “understand the past and future of conservatism are inextricably linked to the concept of the nation, the principle of national independence, and the revival of the unique national traditions that alone have the power to unite and flourish a people.”

Founded in 2019, The Edmund Burke Foundation is named after the influential Anglo-Irish politician Edmund Burke, who was a member of Parliament for the Whig Party in the UK in the late 1700s. Due to his opposition to taxation and the French Revolution, as well as his support for traditional family and religious values, he has been considered the “father of modern conservatism” by some commentators.

Agenda of Tory MPs

The timing of the NatCon conference holds political significance, as some attendees may seize the opportunity to present themselves as potential leaders.

Figures like Braverman – a controversial anti-minority politician – and others may use this platform to showcase their national conservative credentials, signalling their suitability for leadership roles within the party.