Blue Collar

Blue-collar conservatism = a strand of Conservatism that seeks to appeal to working-class voters, especially those who traditionally supported Labour.

👉 Strongly associated with:

• Boris Johnson

• Post-2019 UK General Election realignment

🧠 Core Idea

👉 Combine:

• Economic intervention (One-Nation style)
  WITH

• Social conservatism (New Right / neoconservative)

⚙ Key Characteristics (DETAILED)

1. Economic Intervention (“Levelling Up”)

• Government investment in:

  • Infrastructure

  • Transport

  • Public services

👉 Aim:

• Reduce regional inequality (North vs South divide)

2. Support for Working-Class Interests

Focus on:

• Job creation

• Industrial regeneration

• “Left-behind communities”

👉 Especially in:

• Former industrial areas (“Red Wall”)

3. Social Conservatism

• Strong emphasis on:

  • National identity

  • Patriotism

  • Immigration control

👉 Appeals to:

• Traditional, culturally conservative voters

4. Brexit Alignment

• Strongly pro-Brexit

• Emphasises:

  • Sovereignty

  • “Taking back control”

👉 Central to winning working-class Leave voters

5. Anti-Elitism

• Rhetoric against:

  • Political elites

  • “Metropolitan liberals”

👉 Presents Conservatives as:

• Party of “ordinary people”

🏗 Key Policies / Examples

Under Boris Johnson

• Levelling Up agenda

• Increased public spending in poorer regions

• Infrastructure projects (e.g. rail, local investment)

• Strong Brexit stance

🔄 Ideological Influences