It’s genuinely terrifying that these individuals wield such immense influence, on the media, on policy, and on the future of the planet.
Influential right-wing figures gathered in London this week for the third conference of the Alliance of Responsible Citizenship (ARC). The event united right-wing think tanks, hard-right politicians, and powerful fossil fuel magnates from across the globe, seeking to strengthen ties with their US Republican counterparts, many closely linked to the Trump administration.
The three-day, 4,000-delegate conference was a sell-out, having more than doubled its in-person audience since its inception – worrying confirmation the growing influence and reach of a hard-right coalition, largely consisting of climate change deniers.
Billing themselves as the saviours of civilisation, panels discussing energy and the environment were stuffed with prominent climate science sceptics. Among them was US House Republican speaker and Trump ally Mike Johnson who helped pass a bill that would cut renewable funding from the Inflation Reduction Act. Johnson is also a major recipient of campaign donations from the oil and gas sector.
The conference was nothing short of a “Glastonbury for climate science deniers,” as described by Hannah Greer of the Good Law Project to DeSmog.
Here’s some of the stand-out speeches, for all the wrong reasons.
“Poison of left-wing progressivism”
Talking of Glastonbury, Kemi Badenoch was given what could be likened to a headline slot on the Pyramid Stage, speaking on the first morning of the conference. And the Tory leader certainly lived up to the anti-climate action hype, lashing out at climate activism and diversity policies, calling them “the real poison of left-wing progressivism” and claiming that “Western civilisation is in crisis.”
She argued issues like pronouns, DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion), and climate activism as not about kindness, but about control.
Seeking to compare her party to Donald Trump’s MAGA movement, Badenoch contended that a second stint in government was required to “really know how to fix” the nation’s problems. This statement felt particularly rich, considering it was 14 years of Conservative rule that brought the country to its knees.
She also hit out at the European Convention on Human Rights, claiming that it is being “weaponised” by “foreign criminals.”
Explicitly Christian themes – or a particular version of Christianity, not too much love your neighbour about it for a start – featured heavily throughout the event. And Badenoch too veered into the Christian narrative, praising Katharine Birbalsingh – aka Britain’s ‘strictest headteacher’ – for successfully facing down attempts by some religious pupils to encourage the wearing of headscarves and practise of prayer rituals in her secular school.
“Fawning admiration for Trump”
The speech drew criticism and mockery, with accusations of it parroting Donald Trump’s dangerous narrative.
Labour said that it showed the Tories’ failure to learn from past mistakes, while Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper likened Badenoch to Nigel Farage in her fawning admiration for Trump.
It also drew criticism for its timing – the same day European leaders met in Paris to discuss Trump’s new approach on the Ukraine war. A Tory source said the decision to press ahead with the speech on such a pivotal day for global defence, “sums up how bad they are at basic comms.”
And it was certainly in-tune with the Tories’ ongoing failure to manage timing and messaging when it matters most – Rishi Sunak’s absence on the D-day commemorations during the general election campaign springs to mind.
While broadly criticised for its divisiveness and the Tories’ inability to move beyond their tiresome culture war tactics, the Daily Mail, predictably, sensationalised the speech with a front-page shocker:
The lead story gleefully quoted her declaring war on “poisonous” woke ideology and accusing the left’s “useful idiots” undermining Western civilisation.
How 4,000 delegates managed to endure three days of this nonsense is anyone’s guess.
Chris Wright – “Britain’s climate commitments are impoverishing its citizens”
Another incredulous speech came from the new US energy secretary, Chris Wright. In a chilling address, he argued that Britain’s climate commitments are impoverishing its citizens. Trump’s top energy official claimed that Net Zero was being used as a justification to expand government power and “shrink human freedom.” Wright, whose company Liberty Energy is a major player oil and gas provider, also described the shift to wind and solar energy as “lunacy.”
One might think—or at least hope—that these diehard patriots would keep their noses out of other countries policies. But no, that’s clearly too much to ask.
Jordan Peterson – Canadian-psychologist-turned-conservative-megaphone
ARC co-founder Jordan Peterson addressed the crowd about the “Christian drama” and the “sacrifice most pleasing to God.” He has made it his mission to weaponise ignorance, attacking climate science to his 6.5 million YouTube followers.
Speaking to GB News at the event – of course they’d be allowed into such a right-wing climate denial fest, unlike the Guardian columnist John Crace who apparently was denied a ticket – Peterson described Keir Starmer’s pursuit of Net Zero as “complete insanity.”
Likening Stamer to the outgoing Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Peterson said:
“They’re both possessed by the same set of pathological ideas, including this pursuit of Net Zero which is complete insanity.”
Nigel Farage admits he knows nothing about climate science
And it gets worse. Nigel Farage, whose party campaigns to entirely scrap the UK’s Net Zero policies and to increase fossil fuel extraction, including opening new coal mines, managed to worm his way into the spotlight. Incidentally, just last week, Reform faced accusations of hypocrisy after it was revealed that their MP, Rupert Lowe, installed solar panels on his farm to save on energy bills. This comes despite his party’s pledge to tax solar energy and its claims that renewables are more expensive.
This is the same party that received at least £2.3 million (92 percent of its funding) from fossil fuel interests, polluters, and climate deniers ahead of the 2024 general election, as reported by DeSmog,
In a painful-to-watch interview on stage with Peterson, Farage openly admitted that he doesn’t know anything about climate science, yet still insists politicians shouldn’t worry about man-made CO2 emissions. He even called it “absolutely nuts” that CO2 is considered a pollutant.
Farage also agreed with Peterson that “family” is the cornerstone of a happy society, adding that he believes in “Judeo-Christian values” and insisting the Conservative Party is “not remotely right-wing.” Interesting, coming from the twice married and now separated Reform leader. Does he go to church we wonder?
It’s genuinely terrifying that these individuals wield such immense influence, on the media, on policy, and on the future of the planet.
Ever the publicity seeker Michael Gove makes as appearance
And, of course, Michael Gove, ever the publicity seeker, made an appearance, though his presence seemed somewhat out of place. Having championed climate action as environment secretary, Gove now finds himself in a curious position. His new role as editor of the Spectator has left some wondering if he’ll be on collision course with his new boss, UAE-based investment firm Legatum Group and British hedge fund millionaire Paul Marshall, who co-owns GB News and bought the Spectator in 2024.
Gove’s attendance at ARC didn’t attract much media attention, but the right-wing Critic magazine did note that one of the day’s standout events was a debate featuring Daniel Hannan (yes, the same Hannan who once praised Enoch Powell, and has long been associated with groups like the Heritage Foundation, the US-based conservative think-tank that regularly promotes climate science denial). Hannan, who has ties to a trans-Atlantic network spreading climate disinformation, also played a role in advocating for Brexit and supporting Trump.
Joining him in the debate was former Australian PM Tony Abbott. In 2023, Abbott joined the board of the Global Warming Policy Foundation, a UK-based think tank highly critical of climate science.
Paul Marshall a central figure in the ARC movement
But back to Paul Marshall. The hedge fund millionaire, co-owner of GB News, and owner of UnHerd and now the Spectator, is a central figure in the ARC movement. A DeSmog investigation found that in 2022, one in three GB News hosts peddled climate science denial, while nearly half had actively opposed the UK’s Net Zero ambitions. Marshall has donated £890,000 to the right-wing Policy Exchange think-tank, and his firm holds billions in investments in fossil fuels, as reported by Byline Times. In 2023, Marshall also donated £1 million to ARC.
At the conference, Marshall, who, as Critic notes, is “presumably helping foot the bill for this mighty conservative vessel,” delivered a scathing attack on UK and European energy policies, warning delegates about the supposed dangers of Net Zero.
Peer Baroness Phillipa Stroud – “the most powerful right-winger you’ve never heard of”
It’s strange how the individuals in this “right-wing rogues gallery” as Hannah Greer put it, wield immense wealth and power, yet remain so tightly interconnected. It reminds me of those school sports teams where you’d be asked to choose a team but just pick all your mates.
Enter Baroness Philippa Stroud, who was made a life peer by David Cameron in 2015. Stroud co-founded ARC with Jordan Peterson in June 2023 after becoming so incensed by the West’s “apathy.” She now serves as the group’s CEO.
Stroud, a former special adviser to Iain Duncan Smith, has deep ties to the Legatum Group, having worked with them both directly and indirectly since 2016. Legatum is one of the largest shareholders in GB News, which as we know frequently attacks climate science and policy. In February 2024, Stroud was appointed to a senior government role as chair of the Low Pay Commission, a position that pays £530 per day for three days of work per month, adding up to £19,114 a year. Oh, the irony.
Described by the Telegraph as “the most powerful right-winger you’ve never heard of,” Stroud has certainly captured the attention of the right-wing press. Ahead of this week’s ARC conference, the Times ran an in-depth interview with her, where she lamented: “Everyone everywhere is denigrating everything. They are all moaning but no one is providing any answers. We have lost our confidence and are unsure of our foundations.”
With such thinking in mind, Stroud founded ARC to, according to the Times, bring together “some of the most creative thinkers to her conference next week.”
Creative thinkers? A gathering of the rich and powerful collectively committed to upholding outdated, regressive policies that dismiss climate science, social progress and environmental responsibility more like.
Baroness Stroud also revealed that Kemi Badenoch, Nigel Farage, and Keir Starmer were all invited, and the PM was the only one to decline. Thank God for that: if Starmer had attended, it would have surely been game over for Labour.
Instead of culture wars and economic arguments, Stroud wants “to promote positive thinking, drawing on our classical, liberal and Judeo-Christian roots.”
She must have felt a bit awkward during Kemi Badenoch’s speech then, as that was littered with culture war rants.
It wasn’t all bad news though, as, following pressure from climate activists, the after-party at a nightclub in South London, set to host a cigars, cocktail and DJ night for the Trump-backing climate deniers was cancelled.
Interestingly, that aspect of the far-right fest went virtually unreported in the mainstream media, sad confirmation of where their priorities lie.
Gabrielle Pickard-Whitehead is author of Right-Wing Watch
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