Lord Ashcroft: My survey of Scottish voters. The SNP maintains its lead for the Holyrood elections. But there are clouds on its horizon.

For many, Brexit is a powerful justification for a new independence referendum. But this, too, works both ways.

Garvan Walshe: Russia’s building up troops on Ukraine’s border. Here’s what we can do to stymie Putin.

Britain can convene a coalition of countries, including Poland, Sweden, Finland, the Netherlands and the Baltic states, possibly with Ukraine in association.

Iain Dale: Teaching unions are loud but wrong on vaccines. Besides, what about those without powerful public advocates?

Plus: Have you got your popcorn ready for Salmond’s appearance before a committee of the Scottish Parliament this lunchtime?

Andy Maciver: Scotland. Don’t run away from a referendum. Instead, embrace it, offer a new Union – and win

The second article in a five-part ConHome series this week on the future of the United Kingdom.

Iain Dale: A revitalised and purposeful May heads for the Welsh hills to call an election (just kidding, folks)

Plus: Gauke’s failure, UKIP chaos, Salmond’s Russia Today shame, Corbyn’s anti-semitism debacle…and an invitation if you live near Bath.

Iain Dale: What happened at the President’s Club was no worse than many women’s events

Plus: Vicious Cybernats. Bolton’s brass neck. Widdecombe’s ratings. Johnson’s death wish. And: the courage of my friend Tessa Jowell.

Scotland and a referendum. Send for Cummings to help fight for the Union.

The most ominous portent for a second poll is that the No campaign has collapsed. It needs rebooting urgently.

Iain Dale: He was five foot four, and I’m six foot two, but I’m wanted none the less to play Mussolini

Plus: Salmond’s revisionist view of Thatcher. My weekly Brexit briefing begins. And: the glory of Tim Shipman’s “All Out War”.

Sanjoy Sen: In next year’s Scottish elections, we must be hot on Labour’s tail

Opportunities for Scotland’s Conservatives lie ahead – if the right organisation and resources can be found.

Early tomorrow morning, will Cameron make a dramatic offer to the SNP?

How a federalist offer on Scotland could turn expectations on their head.

Election Sketch: Mundell has a better chance than most of surviving the SNP tsunami

The threat posed by Scottish Nationalists to the Union has had the beneficial consequence of reinvigorating the Scottish Conservatives.

UKIP’s limp campaign is a victim of mismanaged expectations

The inflated hopes engendered by their 2014 annus mirabilis look set to sour a perfectly respectable result for the People’s Army.

Andy Maciver: Conservatives in Scotland are increasingly being hindered by their association with London

Privately, leading Scottish Tories are livid at the Carlisle Principle, Theresa May’s ‘abdication’ intervention and the rest of the rhetoric of the last week.

Worst case scenarios for each of the parties

Based on recent polls and allowing for a bit of slippage here and there, here’s the worst that could happen.

Daniel Hannan MEP: If at first you don’t secede…

Having failed to destroy the Union by turning Scottish voters against it, Salmond now proposes to do so by turning English ones against it instead.