His big win marks the end of the EU Ascendancy and the beginning of a new era: that of Britain as a sovereign nation.
Johnson is a self-described “Brexity Hezza” and now has the chance to mould a Party and country in his own romantic image.
If we lack the self-confidence to defend our achievements, how do we seriously expect to be able take the fight to our opponents?
When he declared that “the first consideration of a minister should be the health of the people”, he was beginning to map out an election-winning mass appeal.
How better to follow Jeremy Corbyn’s speech yesterday than by citing a signature Tory policy that shifted wealth to “working people and their families”?
It’s one that more Tories should tell – in season and out, including this week each year, when Labour strive to delegitimise it.
The latter’s NHS myth is fading as time passes, and younger people bring their consumer viewpoint to their use of public services.
Over the past few decades our constitution has been so corroded that the likes of Powell, Benn, Crossman, and Foot would struggle to recognise it.
We regularly describe ourselves as a broad church – and correctly so. Any alignment with the Brexit Party would see that width of appeal narrowed.
Even though public concern about immigration seems to have eased off recently, there is reason for caution.
Walking away will neither avoid a Jeremy Corbyn government or make Boris Johnson govern as a liberal Tory.
It offers interesting insights into the shape of public opinion in 2019. But talk of a ‘sea change’ away from freedom is hard to stand up.
The tax burden isn’t a full measure of the size of the state. But it’s arguably the pre-eminent factor and certainly that which most concerns the TaxPayers’ Alliance.