Populism vs Paternalism: JD Vance Eviscerates Britain’s ‘110 IQ’ Midwit Political Class

U.S. Vice President JD Vance took aim at the false arrogance driving “elite failure” after a former British government-minister turned ‘centrist dad’ podcaster attempted to correct him on his faith.

Rory Stewart, a former Conservative Party government minister and provincial deputy governor of Iraq during its occupation by the United States and United Kingdom published his criticism of the views of JD Vance on Thursday and — to the apparent surprise and distaste of himself and others — received a withering reply. Citing remarks made by Vance of CNN on his Christian faith Stewart ironically criticised when “politicians become theologians” as he the politician lectured another on theology.

Vance replied to Stewart, who has become something approaching household name in the UK for his stridently globalist-centrist political podcast, in a broader swipe at long-term political incompetence. He wrote: “I’ve said before and I’ll say it again: the problem with Rory and people like him is that he has an IQ of 110 and thinks he has an IQ of 130. This false arrogance drives so much elite failure over the last 40 years.”

Stewart attempted a lengthy reply of several tweets, but by this point the die was essentially cast. Even support from his podcast co-host, former Tony Blair spokesman Alastair Campbell fell flat as all attempts at defence were demolished in turn by internet users.

As noted by Britain’s journal of the centre-right, The Daily Telegraph, “JD Vance’s triumph over Rory Stewart is a humiliation for centrist Dads everywhere. This was a battle for the ages, between populism and elitism – and it was a joy to watch… Vance is so right about Stewart. Rarely has there existed a man whose arrogance is so out of proportion to his intellect.”

The Spectator, meanwhile, characterised the spat between Hillbilly Vance and exclusively educated Stewart thus: “In his never-ending desire to appear clever, it seems that Rory Stewart has slipped up again”. But it was something of a political Rorschach test, with Britain’s left-wing publications hailing Stewart as the undisputed champion.