Populist and rightwing figures take aim at Ed Miliband and UK net zero policies at ‘anti-woke Davos’

Britain’s net zero policies and energy secretary Ed Miliband have come under fire at a conference of conservatives, rightwing populists and wealthy US backers linked to Donald Trump . The energy policies pursued by the British government were described as a “tragic mistake” by Trump’s energy secretary, one of a number of officials from the US administration who are attending the event. More than 4,000 delegates from 85 countries – ranging from Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch through to US anti-abortion activists and representatives of European far-right parties – are attending this year’s Alliance for Responsible Citizenship (ARC) conference in London. Dubbed by some as an “anti-woke Davos,” themes being championed from the stage at the Olympia conference centre included libertarian hostility to green economic policies, social conservative causes such as opposition to abortion and also opposition to multiculturalism. Speakers later this week include US state department officials who have sought to interfere in Britain’s abortion rights and debate around online safety regulations, while Reform leader Nigel Farage will address the conference on Wednesday. One of the key figures on Tuesday was Chris Wright, a former fossil fuel executive who was appointed by Trump as energy secretary. He described energy policies in Britain as a “tragic mistake” that had impoverished citizens. …