Boris defends the right to say silly things in a most sensible way

Fine piece in the Daily Telegraph today by columnist and Tory MP Boris Johnson on the subject of free speech and erosion thereof by Blair’s government. Nothing remotely new about this to LC readers of course, but even so, the more comments like Johnson’s, the better. My only query is whether his views are clearly shared by Conservative leader David Cameron. Does Cameron want to reverse the assaults on expression as have happened under the various terrorism acts, crime acts; does he propose to restore, in full, the right to trial by jury, restore the double jeopardy principle, the presumption of innocence principle? It is a long list, but would not it be great if Cameron could announce a repeal of all these things in one fell swoop. Maybe he should call it the “restoration of British liberties” bill. After all, Cameron seems to be clearly going after the liberal-minded middle classes as well as the less well-off. If he wants to be a genuinely liberal brand of Tory, what better than to associate modern Conservatism with civil, as well as economic, liberty in one magnificent gesture?