Bringing out Boris

Arguably, Brexit would never have happened had it not been for Boris Johnson joining the Leave campaign. For some, that may be a reason for disliking the Foreign Secretary. But it cannot be said that he is unable to marshal support from parts of the country that have for years been poor hunting ground for the Conservatives. He brings something to the normally staid world of politics that enlivens proceedings.

True, it means you are never quite sure what will happen with Boris, which alarms the party election strategists who want to control the message and its delivery as tightly as possible. But voters tire of hearing the same message repeated over and over again; or they simply stop listening. By contrast, they warm to the authenticity that Boris exhibits – slightly dishevelled, impromptu and rarely protected by teams of minders and activists.

So after rumours that some of his colleagues want him to be sidelined, it was good to see him finally entering the fray with a speech on foreign policy last night at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet, with campaigning outings planned for today. As he showed during the referendum campaign, he is at his best meeting people and pressing the flesh, engaging voters directly rather than at a distance.

With more than 40 days still to go until polling day, there is always a danger that people will weary of the election campaign and simply not vote. The Conservatives aim to secure a big majority and that seems to be all but certain, judging by the opinion polls. But that needs to be underpinned by a good turnout; and that needs a lively campaign to attract the attention of voters. Boris is good at that. He deserves much more than a cameo role and should be used as often as possible.