Prominent right-wing figures from across the globe will convene in London starting Monday for a significant conference aimed at networking and establishing ties with high-ranking US Republicans connected to the Trump administration.
The leader of the UK opposition, Kemi Badenoch of the Conservative Party, will compete with her hardline anti-immigration opponent, Nigel Farage of the Reform UK party, in a bid to embody the essence of British conservatism.
Delegates from the UK, continental Europe, and Australia joining the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference will take advantage of the opportunity to engage with their American counterparts, including those affiliated with the new Trump administration. House Speaker Mike Johnson was scheduled to attend in person but will now deliver a keynote address remotely on Monday.
Featured speakers from the Republican party will include US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, Vivek Ramaswamy—who has collaborated with Elon Musk on initiatives to overhaul the US government—and Kevin Roberts, president of the Heritage Foundation, which is behind the controversial “Project 2025” strategy for Trump’s potential second term.
The conference, designed to unite influential thinkers shaping right-wing ideologies worldwide, will focus on anti-environmental and socially conservative principles. It aims to advance “our growing movement and continue the essential task of communicating the foundations of our civilization.”
ARC was established in 2023 by Canadian psychologist and author Jordan Peterson and Tory peer Philippa Stroud. Its financial supporters include Paul Marshall, one of the owners of GB News, and the private investment firm Legatum.
After hosting last year’s inaugural event at the O2 Arena, the conference has relocated to the larger ExCel centre this year, expecting approximately 4,000 participants from 96 nations, a significant increase from the 1,500 who attended last year.
Badenoch returns to this extravagant three-day event as the leader of her party, having previously used her platform to launch a “culture war” against the LGBTQ+ charity Stonewall. While she will address the conference on Monday morning, preceding Johnson’s keynote, she cannot avoid the challenge posed by the hard-right anti-immigration Reform UK party.
Farage, the party leader, is set to be interviewed on stage by Peterson on Tuesday, while Reform’s chair, Zia Yusuf, is anticipated to participate in a later panel discussion titled “The choices we face: unilateral economic disarmament or a pro-human approach?”
Notable figures on ARC’s advisory board include former Australian prime minister Tony Abbott, Tory MP Danny Kruger, self-proclaimed “sceptical environmentalist” Bjørn Lomborg, and Tory financier Helena Morrissey.
The board also features Maurice Glasman, a Labour peer associated with the socially conservative “Blue Labour” movement, who recently appeared on a podcast by Steve Bannon, an US Republican strategist and occasional ally of Trump.
Peterson will conduct an interview with Peter Thiel, the Republican donor and Silicon Valley billionaire known for his controversial statements, which include claims that democracy may not align with freedom and expressing skepticism about the efficacy of voting.
Reports indicate that over 50 Australians, including representatives from right-wing think tanks and churches, plan to attend the conference. Notable attendees include National party senator Bridget McKenzie, alongside significant figures from Rupert Murdoch’s News Corp.
Those promoting the ARC conference emphasize its focus on the development of broad conceptual ideas over specific political policies or campaigning, highlighting the inclusion of scientists and artists within the program.
Although religious faith is not overtly highlighted in the event’s promotional materials, there is a notable religious influence guiding its direction, largely attributed to Peterson’s biblical references and Stroud’s Christian faith, which has significantly shaped many Conservative party policies in the 2000s.
