Matt Bevington: Barnier doesn’t need a new mandate to find compromises

The UK itself would not dream of changing its formal negotiating objectives at such a crucial point in the talks. Why would the EU?

James Frayne: Do voters care about breaking international law, and if so, how much?

An important point to consider is whether or not respect for the way all law works has declined.

Eric Kaufmann: A chilling effect is taking place at British universities. An Academic Freedom Bill can change that.

There is a mistaken view that threats to freedom stem from the state, but peer pressure can equally result in “despotism of custom”.

Four years on since Brexit, the media still doesn’t get the public mood

One of the biggest lessons of the referendum was that newspapers and other outlets had failed to spot widespread sentiment.

Stephen Booth: Barnier sees the need for compromise. The question is whether EU member states will let him.

He was sent in to play hardball with the UK – on the expectation it would cave into demands. But this assumption has been proven wrong.

Julian Brazier: Without preparing the UK’s territorial waters for No Deal, the EU will think we are blustering

From fishing to illegal immigration, Britain must make preparations to give its claim of “walking away” some weight.

The rights and wrongs of the Government’s treatment of the self-employed

The Chancellor should make further provision for them. But the vast though necessary expansion of state spending will need emergency powers-type checks.

Ten questions about entryism in the Conservative Party

Claims about an organised, hostile takeover of the Party have reared their heads again. Is there any truth to them?

There’s a serious discussion to have about data and electoral law, but it is yet to take place.

Our democracy is poorly served by widespread ignorance about campaign technology, and the fact glamorous alarmism wins more headlines than grubby reality.

The Moggcast. Burt and Duncan’s “absurd” attacks on Johnson “must have been” approved by Downing Street.

Inside the ERG’s Brexit plans. Why Rees-Mogg doesn’t believe the hype about ‘Blue Wave’ entryism. Plus: how he spent his summer.

Iain Dale: May understands the importance of trade with Africa, even if the usual suspects sneer at the idea

Plus: Why Leave.eu supporters are more in step with Conservative policy than Soubry; and: shaking things up on the airwaves.

Recruiters of new Tory members. There is a third actor – CCHQ itself.

It has not automatically turned away previous UKIPers. Lewis’ local Association has absorbed seven former purple councillors.

Storm in a vodka glass

If overcome by the belief that Putin bought the referendum, our advice is to lie down in a dark room until the feeling goes away.

We advised scepticism about the Brexit conspiracy theories – and now The Observer is ‘clarifying’ its allegations

Wishful thinking is a risky thing to indulge – it can lead people not to ask sufficiently tough questions to test the things that they are told.

There must be a middle-ground between taking data-driven campaigning for granted and wild alarmism about its dangers

Given that most people don’t really understand what it is or how it works, it’s a field ripe for under- or over-reaction. Or, indeed, both at the same time.