Boris can beat the Left in war of ideas

There is an online video of Boris Johnson giving a speech in which he extols the “moral case for Conservatism” rooted in the “free market” – and his enthusiasm is infectious. As Mr Johnson himself suggests, this is the kind of language the Tories haven’t spoken for years – never by Theresa May – and it’s a tonic.

Mr Johnson is an instinctive, even romantic politician: he loves capitalism, he’s excited about unleashing talent and enterprise, he’s optimistic about what free human beings can achieve. He’s naturally determined to beat the Left not just on the intellectual argument but the emotional one, too. It’s a war for hearts as well as minds, and he is perfectly suited for the battle.

The Left has spread the idea that the compassion of a society is measured in the size of its government – and for more than a decade, the Right hasn’t bothered to challenge them. There was some embrace of volunteerism in the Big Society, but David Cameron and George Osborne failed to make the link between free markets and civil society, to show how freer and richer individuals make for stronger communities. Mr Johnson, with his sense of history, understands that hard work, aspiration and small enterprise are part and parcel of our national heritage – that when Napoleon allegedly dubbed us a “nation of shopkeepers”, it was a compliment, not an insult.

If government intervenes with foolish regulation or tax, which is only the beginning of what Jeremy Corbyn plans for Britain, the economy inevitably sinks. That’s why the Right has to take back control of the language. Tax cuts are not “costs” to the government but savings to the individual; the lower taxes are, the more cash there is out there for people to spend the way they need. Citizens run their own affairs much better than the state.

If Mr Johnson wins and seeks to turn this philosophy into concrete action, he’ll have to appoint a competent, like-minded Cabinet: the Prime Minister sets the direction, ministers provide the detail. It’s an exciting opportunity. Here is a once-in-a-generation chance to fight the battle of ideas on truly conservative terms.