King of the North?

Rob Stark meets a bloody end in Game of Thrones. But he won every battle he fought first – and the Greater Manchester Mayor is following his example.

Mark Francois: I urge Leavers to vote Tory – so gaining Brexit, preparing for free trade and smashing Marxism. All at once.

We now have the most amazing opportunity to deliver an emphatic victory over Corbyn’s extremists – and achieve Brexit into the bargain.

The Election Battlegrounds 3) North West

Our series continues with a look at another key region, which offers a decent clutch of targets to either Labour or the Conservatives on a good night.

New candidates selected: Daly in Bury North, Largan in High Peak

Two more associations in target seats, both won from Labour in 2010 only to be lost again last year, have chosen their would-be MPs.

Candidate selection news: Shortlists for Bedford and Bury North

Updated, plus: the results of four recent contests in target seats – Bishop Auckland, Bristol North West, Crewe and Nantwich, and Ipswich.

Selections. Four more seats open for applications – High Peak, Bury North, Darlington and Blackpool South.

Two of the four were lost last year; two more were last held over 25 years ago. All are now non-southern marginals – or should be.

Battleground Seats 9) North West

Continuing our ConservativeHome series on the key contests in each region or nation.

The Conservatives shouldn’t settle for coming third in Oldham

We can’t win a workable majority without breaking through in more seats in the urban and suburban North and Midlands.

Battlegrounds Revisited 1) The North West

In the aftermath of the election, we revisit our regional profiles to see how the parties fared compared to expectations.

The Election Battleground 1) The North West

In the first of our series looking at May’s electoral battlegrounds, we explore the fierce fights which are taking place across the North West.