The Tories’ culture war is a reminder that the right isn't as fearless as it seems | Andy Beckett

Since Boris Johnson’s government has begun to struggle, it’s striking that its talk of a ‘war on woke’ has increased

Over the last few years, a new fear has been forming in the already anxious minds of liberal and leftwing Britons. The fear is that the right, made more aggressive by an injection of populism, is no longer satisfied by dominating national politics and defining the shape of the economy. It wants to dominate British culture as well.

Starting with the Brexit campaign, the right has launched a series of culture wars: against remainers, the BBC, the universities, the legal system, the big cities and seemingly anywhere that liberal or leftwing thinking still lingers strongly, despite a decade of Tory rule. These culture wars have mobilised and united conservative Britons, ensured that debates about patriotism and social cohesion are conducted on rightwing terms and helped the Tories win a big parliamentary majority.

Related: The virtual Tory conference was a gift to Johnson – he managed to avoid his party | Katy Balls

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