
Leigh is right: Parliament must be repaired, but not emptied
It would be a huge waste to spend huge sums restoring the body of Westminster whilst decanting – probably permanently – its spirit.
Henry Hill is an award-winning centre-right blogger and assistant editor of ConservativeHome.
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During the Cold War being ‘strong on defence’ was a potent vote winner, and the money flowed accordingly.
Also: May wades into Scottish flag row; Liberal Democrat accused of costing taxpayers thousands to prop up Jones; and DUP dismiss legal threat to £1 billion deal.
Yes, we’re going to have to pay for it. But hasn’t using Britain’s status as a net contributor to secure deals always been part of the plan?
Also: Tories say data proves Sturgeon should abandon tax plans; Jones joins Scottish Conservatives to menace the Withdrawal Bill; and DUP may back boundary review.
If both of the main parties remain locked together in an unpopular pact, it creates more space in which new challengers can grow.
Also: Scottish Tories row in behind bid to wreck the Withdrawal Bill; infighting in Welsh Labour over method of electing new leader; and more.
When a generation that grew up online starts seeking public office, it won’t just be journalists who have a trail of unguarded comments that anyone can find.
The Prime Minister has made the freedom to strike trade deals, so important to key allies and the membership, a cornerstone of her strategy.
His opponents have not been lax about emphasising his previous support for the regime immiserating Venezuela, but it hasn’t cut through with British voters.
Overseas development spending will never fulfil its soft-power potential if DfID is allowed to pursue what amounts to its own foreign policy.
As 2017 draws to a close, the United Kingdom is in better shape than many of its supporters had dared to hope.
Davidson and Mordaunt also score highly, whilst the Chancellor and Chief Whip both languish with negative scores.
Also: Cairns criticised over future of Swansea tidal lagoon; SNP squeeze private schools as teacher crisis deepends; and Foster ‘was not fully warned’ about RHI risks.
The MP for Sutton and Cheam will have his work cut out to reconnect the Tories to a city which some fear could become their “next Scotland”.