Peter Franklin: The growing threat from the Green Party

Ardingly & Balcombe, Aldeburgh & Leiston, Downs North; Horndean Downs, Brundall: what might all these local government losses have in common?

Peter Franklin: Ten reasons why Labour isn’t dead yet

If Conservatives don’t take the Opposition seriously, one can hardly blame them. And yet that could prove to be a big mistake.

Peter Franklin: Portillo lost by a single vote. Had it been cast for him, we might not have had Brexit.

30 years ago, it could all have been different. No Duncan Smith, no Cameron & Osborne…and no referendum on Britain’s membership of the EU.

Peter Franklin: An alternate history of the Conservative Party, 2005-2018

What if somebody as far to the right as Corbyn is to the left managed to win the Tory leadership?

Peter Franklin: Why is the right so sweet on sugar?

This is not so much a pro-market position as an anti-democratic one. There is more to politics than market versus state.

Peter Franklin: Physician, heal thyself; think tanks, re-think thyselves

Onward seems set to propound the liberal and Freer the libertarian versions of the globalist agenda. Where does that leave the anti-globalist voters who now back the Tories?

Whatever happened to the Big Society? 3) Peter Franklin: The values of the all-consuming state or market both deaden the human spirit

Even in an age of austerity, government has plenty of power and assets, which it could on a small-scale, experimental basis transfer to the control of community groups.

Peter Franklin: “Allowing expansion where it’s needed will mean some building on the green belt.” An open letter to Dominic Raab.

“This is the most important job of your political career so far – and there’s a lot riding on what you make of it. On this one you need to make a difference.”

Peter Franklin: Ruling political tribes 2) The Conservatives. Gove is now in a position to emerge as kingmaker – or, just maybe, as King.

But unless his fully-developed vision of the future can capture heart-and-minds, I’d expect control of the party to stay with the mainstream.

Peter Franklin: Ruling political tribes 1) Labour. How the Left came in from the wilderness and drove the Blairites out.

Since I last surveyed the political landscape in 2013 and 2014, some ruling tribes have been cast down, and some formerly lost tribes have risen to rule.

Peter Franklin: Introducing GovOpposition. How the Tories can reinvent themselves in office. And who’s doing it best.

While the responsibilities of government must be shouldered, there’s no doubting the need for a time of renewal – one as profound as in any period of opposition.

Ideas for the Budget 1) Peter Franklin: Wanted. A Marshall Plan for housing’s excluded generation.

To reduce investment in infrastructure or R&D is to take away from the future – just as surely as running up unsustainable debt does.

Heresy of the week: Margaret Thatcher was wrong about “the enemy within”

The shrinking of opportunity allied to the visible influence of crony capitalism makes for a poisonous brew.

The new PC is harming the people it’s supposed to protect

Shielding individuals from anything that might trigger negative memories goes against well-researched psychological practice.

The routine harassment of women is a daily offence against liberty

Women have their freedom of movement curtailed in ways that most men don’t even have to think about.