Daniel Hannan: How Britain lost Ireland

A modicum of sensitivity at Westminster might have seen the Easter Rising fizzle out. Ireland might have evolved peacefully into a self-governing Commonwealth ally.

Grayling attacks SNP as Tory MPs call for ‘Unity Day’

Also: Trimble makes economic case for Brexit; Plaid demand timeshare First Minister; Foster calls for arrests over dissident violence; and more.

Ruth Davidson: Scotland has a left-wing party in government. It doesn’t need one in opposition too. It needs the Conservatives.

We now have a Government which we know will make middle earners pay more – and which may make higher earners pay even more too.

Andrew Kennedy: Political parties. The age of mass membership may be over. But that of mass participation may be just beginning.

Our “Registered Supporter” scheme has enrolled 2,000 people; another example of how people are willing to commit, but not to join.

Howard Flight: We simply cannot afford to carry on protecting spending on welfare, the NHS and schools

The Budget ducked the hard choices that need to be made.

Iain Dale: UKIP suspends Evans – and finally flips

Plus: Schengen should be suspended. The doctors’ strike is a disgrace. A cow is more likely to kill you than a shark. And: Gove could develop into a fine Conservative leader.

Garvan Walshe: Islamist terrorism can be defeated. The struggle against communism shows us how.

Technical security, good intelligence and confidence in our values saw us through against communism. We need all of them to see the West through this again.

Rebecca Coulson: Let’s raise a glass of wine to drink as Osborne hunts for sugar to tax

When more than 30 million of us regularly drink wine, why does the pub – not the wine bar – continue to represent political expediency?

Henry Hill: Tories fall behind Plaid in latest Welsh seat projections

Also: SNP shy away from new top rate of income tax despite radical rhetoric; Northern Irish Unionists and liberals avoid commemorations of 1916 rising; and more.

Nick Timothy: What does the Conservative Party offer a working-class kid from Brixton, Birmingham, Bolton or Bradford?

Forget IDS’ Easterhouse modernisation and Osborne’s Soho modernisation. It’s time for Erdington modernisation.

Nadhim Zahawi: Tampon taxes, steel dumping – and why the time has come to leave the EU

One of my constituents asked me: what’s the point of having MPs if they can’t make this sort of decision? He was right.

Iain Dale: Why Ken Clarke’s memoirs aren’t worth what Macmillan will pay for them

Plus: Contrite Soubry. Ashcroft’s Party. The Chancellor’s forecasts and the OBR’s admission. P.S: Re those Clarke memoirs, I admit that I can’t wait to read them.

Daniel Hannan: Trump’s rise is harming the Republican Party, America and democracy itself

Time after time, the general population has proved to be wiser than the elites. Until now.

From Reggie to Dessie: That Ashcroft extravaganza. As Davis edged further from Mrs May, Boris edged closer to Miss World…

Plus: Soames bottle-feeds the Crouch childlet. Gove’s lesé majeste. And: It’s Ken Clarke’s memoirs – Fifty Shades of Blue.

Henry Hill: Welsh Tories clash with Labour ahead of Assembly election

Also: SNP minister accused of ignoring human rights abuses to solicit Qatari cash; UUP condemn McGuinness’ involvement in terror investigation panel; and more.