Boris Johnson and Theresa May both fancy a pop at the Tory leadership and both gave speeches today that showed they were keen. That much is so well-known that it is a little tiring to analyse either speech simply in those terms (though it’s worth noting that Boris supporters have been very keen indeed to tell us that this was a ‘grown-up, loyal speech that shows he has a track record of delivery. Boris has a vision that is optimistic’).
Both did a good job of rallying the troops in the conference hall, although in quiet different ways. May was sober but passionate about the threat posed to Britain by Isis, warning that the terror group could acquire nuclear weapons. She quoted the Koran on stage to demonstrate that Isis was twisting the sacred texts it claims to be fighting for. And she talked with sincerity about the need for British values. She attacked the Liberal Democrats for ‘outrageous irresponsibility’ in blocking the Communications Data Bill and pledged to introduce it if the Tories were in power after 2015. It was a fine speech, sitting alongside her ferocious address to the Police Federation on what is still quite a thinly-stocked shelf of excellent speeches by the Home Secretary.
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