'Anti-socialism' group formed in Congress, Republicans announce

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Republican politicians have form an anti-socialism caucus in congress, a member of the House of Representatives has announced.

“Just received approval from the House for the formation of the Anti-Socialism Caucus,” Chris Stewart, a Republican politician representing Utah, said on Wednesday.

“This caucus will defend individual liberty & free markets and highlight the dark history of socialism.”

A congressional caucus is formed of a group of politicians who work towards shared policy goals.

Mr Stewart is a conservative Republican, who has recently supported anti-abortion legislation.

His announcement comes after a wave of progressive Democrats, including prominent figures such as Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and Ilhan Omar, were elected to congress in the 2018 midterm elections.

The congressman has previously criticised progressive Democrats for discussing the Green New Deal, an ambitious plan to tackle climate change.

The Utah politician said the proposal was “socialism wrapped in environmental policy as a sweetener for a bitter pill that would destroy the American dream.”

Progressive activists were quick to criticise the formation of the caucus, which some compared to the infamous Un-American Activities Committee, a House investigative body which was formed in 1938.

It became notorious for a series of hearings held in the 1950s, investigating left-wing politics and communism in the US.