Former Neighbours star Holly Valance has described “leftie” ideas as “crap” and backed Jacob Rees-Mogg for prime minister.

The actress, model and former singer, who topped the charts in the UK and Australia with her hit song Kiss Kiss in 2002, made the comments at the launch of former prime minister Liz Truss’s Popular Conservatism – or “PopCon” – movement on Tuesday.

Valance, who attended the rally in Westminster with her British property tycoon husband Nick Candy, described the speakers as “fantastic” in an interview at the event.

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“I would say that everyone starts as a leftie and then wakes up at some point after you start either making money, working, trying to run a business, trying to buy a home, and then realise what crap ideas they all are,” she said. “And then you go to the right.”

Ms Truss was “really, really interesting to listen to”, Valance told GB News, before adding: “Jacob for PM.”

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The 40-year-old also described Ashfield MP and former deputy Tory party chairman Lee Anderson as “awesome”, saying: “Love a northerner, straight to the point and very sensible, and for real people.”

The PopCon group claims it is not looking to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservatives, but instead wants to spark a debate on ideas.

Ms Truss, Mr Rees-Mogg and Mr Anderson were among the Tories who addressed the conference, and between them they challenged the government’s position on smoking bans, the approach to net zero, the European Convention on Human Rights, tax, and quangos.

Ms Truss said the current government was failing to take on “left-wing extremists”, and also encouraged “secret Conservatives” to come forward to campaign and stand for the party.

Also in the audience were former home secretary Dame Priti Patel, ex-chief whip Wendy Morton, former Tory party chair Sir Jake Berry, MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, and Tory peer Lord Frost.

Analysis: PopCons seek to rally Tory base

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Valance starred as Felicity “Flick” Scully in Neighbours from 1999 to 2002, and also returned alongside Natalie Imbruglia for what was thought to be the final episode in 2022 – before the Australian soap was resurrected by Amazon Freevee.

She launched her pop career after leaving Neighbours, releasing two albums in 2002 and 2003, and went on to appear in films including Taken, alongside Liam Neeson, and the TV series Prison Break in the mid-2000s.

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