We want a society where people are free to make choices, to make mistakes, to be generous and compassionate. This is what we mean by a moral society; not a society where the State is responsible for everything, and no one is responsible for the State.

Socialism is a dangerous, but undeclared, enemy of freedom—and I do not just mean the socialist command economy but all those attitudes which socialism fosters: dependence, passivity, conformity, envy, lack of personal responsibility and lack of initiative. The battle against socialism is more than the attempt to replace economic error by economic truth. It is a battle for moral and spiritual values. It is precisely socialism which promotes universal dependency on the State and the neglect of all primary duties. In place of the culture of dependency we must emphasise the moral rightness of enterprise and the absolute value of responsibility. We must encourage people to take charge of their own lives, and to live honestly and openly, fulfilling their duties and respecting the rights of others.

The people who are going to buy council houses are those who would probably live in them for the rest of their lives anyway. It seems to me absolutely wrong to say to them you must go on paying increasing rent for the rest of your life and never have the chance to own your home. Give them a chance to own it. They'd have been there anyway. They'll do their own maintenance. They'll do their own improvements. The next generation will have gotten used to, "I'm going to be a homeowner." It will give them a new independence, and a new dignity.