Why my confidence in Boris evaporated
On June 23, the British people were asked whether they wanted to remain part of a bossy and self-indulgent bureaucracy in which everything happened at a snail’s pace.
Everything, that is, except the invention of control-freak regulations and the spending of taxpayers’ money on Eurocrats’ perks, privileges and deluxe parliament buildings.
And the British people replied: “Now that you’ve finally got round to asking us, the answer is no.”
The day after the vote, there was something beautiful and unfamiliar in the air: a belief in Britain’s ability to flourish as an independent country. It was beautiful because this is a lovely, generous and inventive nation. It was unfamiliar because the decision to choose our own destiny came from right across the political spectrum.
The people have issued an instruction to revive the British spirit of enterprise and community in every corner of the nation – in effect, to redesign politics for the 21st century.
When David Cameron stood down, I quickly came to the view that his successor should be someone who believed in leaving the EU.
I had confidence that Boris Johnson could be that prime minister. In the past week, to my deep regret, my confidence evaporated. That led me to decide, at no little cost, to put friendships aside and act in the national interest. Having declared that I didn’t want to be prime minister – so often that I might as well have engraved it on my business card – I came to the uncomfortable conclusion that I was best qualified to deliver that change.
I am not a naturally charismatic or glamorous person. But I am impatient to see bold promises turned into radical and popular legislation. Like many, I am sick of grandstanding pledges that mysteriously never reach the statute book.
Where I have honestly been best in government is in designing and implementing big changes that have ultimately benefited people. At the Department for Education, I pushed through the creation of free schools and academies that are now raising standards for children and giving them new opportunities.
At the Ministry of Justice, I have embarked on a major transformation of our prison system. We are giving governors powers to run prisons how they think best, putting prisoners to work and replacing decaying buildings. This is designed to improve public safety by reducing reoffending. It isn’t easy challenging conventional wisdom that says you are “going soft”, but it is the right thing to do.
And this brings us to the great challenge that faces us now: leaving the EU, creating a new relationship with 27 remaining members states and developing new trading and security alliances with countries worldwide.
We need to seek to negotiate a new relationship with Europe, based on free trade and friendly co-operation. Free movement must end, but it is in both our interest and that of other EU states that free trade should continue.
That relationship must also include a new security dimension – working closely with our European partners to ensure stability on our doorstep while removing ourselves from the rogue European Court of Justice, allowing us to take back control of how our intelligence services share data and who we can deport.
We must also embark on new relationships with like-minded world democracies, where we can combine trading alliances with security alliances. There are huge opportunities for relationships with
‘I might as well have engraved on my business card that I didn’t want to be prime minister – but I concluded I was best qualified’
emerging countries in Asia, Africa and South America. To make the most of the opportunities, and to establish prosperity and security, we need to think big and have confidence we can deliver. I have both of those things.
We have been instructed by the British people to free ourselves from the stranglehold of Brussels – and, crucially, the mindset that went with it. That mindset has spread like a piece of computer malware into every crevice of public life. The cronyism of the EU is reflected in the callousness of multinational corporations; in how too many big banks continue to operate; and in the sclerotic bureaucracy of Whitehall and local government.
When we leave the EU, we must also leave behind the self-interested values that it forced on us. We must never lose faith in our rediscovered national identity, in a Britain that becomes a global leader in education, science and technology. The prime minister must be someone who embraced this vision of independence during the referendum. I also believe the new prime minister should have experience at the top level of government and a track record of delivering change.
The world is changing with bewildering speed; the reforms must begin immediately. After much soulsearching, I believe I am the best person to lead that process.