Stephen Booth: Now our own Government says it may trigger Article 16 in Northern Ireland. Is the move a bluff? Or is it for real?

The EU’s missteps over the last week have provided an excellent opportunity to seek changes to the Protocol that might provide for a more durable settlement.

Ryan Bourne: How many lives will we save by choosing our own vaccination programme, not the EU’s? Let’s start at nine thousand.

It’s safe to say the UK will have saved tens of thousands of additional lives relative to going at the EU-4’s pace over the coming months.

Daniel Hannan: Ignore the Europhile sneers. Joining the Pacific bloc marks the rebirth of Global Britain.

The CPTPP is preferable to the EU because it elevates mutual recognition over harmonisation.

James Frayne: A clear majority of people think the police do a good job – but want them to be tougher enforcing lockdown

Polls very strongly suggest the public are much more irritated with the police not enforcing basic rules with greater severity.

Victoria Hewson: Holding the Care Quality Commission to account for its failure to protect children

We trust that the Health and Social Care Committee will be looking into this in the course of its inquiry into young people’s mental health.

Howard Flight: Priority spending should go towards training the next generation

I question whether our reformed apprenticeship system goes far enough.

Richard Holden: Here in County Durham, my sense is that moderate Remainers are now saying “I’m glad we’re out”

The Prime Minister has got Brexit done and is delivering on vaccines. Meanwhile, Starmer has nothing positive to say.

David Gauke: The UK, the EU, vaccines – and future relations. Here, jingoistic politicians. There, Trumpian ones. Bodes badly.

The EU’s triggering of Article 16 is premature, provocative and sets a precedent that will be cited by those unwilling to accept the consequences of the Protocol.

Iain Dale: Johnson can say all the right words. But not in a way that people relate to, as Blair and Cameron could.

Plus: Sturgeon is ridiculous to criticise the PM’s trip to Scotland. And: Now’s not the time for a Coronavirus inquiry.

Henry Hill: ‘Stronger together’ – Ministers put vaccine at the centre of its latest pro-Union push

Also: Gove should beware Brown’s constitutional anti-wisdom; Davies makes way for Davies; and MSPs compel evidence over Salmond row.

Garvan Walshe: Navalny’s given Putin a splitting headache. Here’s how to make it worse.

The prominence of Russians in the UK means that the UK can play an outside role in making the migraine even worse.

Robert Halfon: I’m not a lockdown sceptic. But I am a “school-down” sceptic – and fear the impact of these closures.

The Government needs to provide an educational route map out of Coronavirus for schools and colleges – so that they can prepare.

Andy Street: A transport revolution is under way in the West Midlands – with the launch of a new bike hire scheme

This is an ambitious project designed to appeal to the 30 per cent of people here who don’t cycle but say they would like to give it a go.

Neil O’Brien: Five lessons from the pandemic

It’s striking that the countries that did best during Covid are those, like Taiwan and South Korea, which live under threat of annihilation by their neighbours.

Iain Dale: 400,000 police records have gone. In the Blair years, home secretaries were forced to resign over less.

Plus: Where have Allegra Stratton’s live press conferences got to? And why I hate Twitter.