A Narrowing of the British Conservative Mind?

Area of Science:

• Political Science
• Sociology
• British Politics

Background:

• The 2016 Brexit referendum marked a significant shift in British politics.
• A 'hard right' tendency within conservatism gained prominence, framing Brexit as a counter-revolution against a perceived liberal elite.
• Concerns exist among some conservatives and observers regarding the rise of the hard right as a form of authoritarian populism.

Purpose of the Study:

• To provide an overview of the core narratives and ideas of the British hard right.
• To examine the influence of prominent figures like Roger Scruton, Douglas Murray, and Nigel Farage.
• To analyze the impact of the hard right's ascendancy on the broader British conservative movement.

Main Methods:

• Commentary and analysis of the British hard right's ideology.
• Examination of prominent figures and their associated ideas.
• Discussion of the political and intellectual impact of the hard right's rise.

Main Results:

• The ideas of the British hard right, while not entirely new, are increasingly dominating the conservative movement.
• Other conservative viewpoints are being marginalized due to the hard right's growing influence.
• Key figures like Scruton, Murray, and Farage represent and propagate the hard right's core tenets.

Conclusions:

• The British hard right may have overestimated the significance of the Brexit result and subsequent electoral successes.
• This overinterpretation could lead to a restrictive and narrowed perspective within British conservatism.
• The increasing dominance of the hard right poses a challenge to the diversity of thought within the conservative movement.