Shapps has spotted a once-in-a-lifetime chance to give Britain world-class railways

The Transport Secretary has set up a reform committee which is getting ready to use the pandemic to rout the Luddites in the rail unions.

Adrian Mason: Set Deeside free from Cardiff

A new economic zone should have its own planning and development policies – with the potential to become a manufacturing powerhouse.

Selections. How activists find themselves crushed by the attritional, grinding juggernaut of the Party machine.

CCHQ itself is also a victim of what it has helped to create. Here’s a way forward that should be acceptable to all.

A No Deal Brexit. “It’s not going to be the end of the world. But it’s not going to be a walk in the park either.”

Since the Government believes the Yellowhammer leak details are out of date, it should publish an up-to-date assessment as soon as possible.

Johnson’s ministerial appointments

We’ll continue to update this as the Prime Minister fills out the lower ranks of his government.

Andrew Gimson’s leadership sketch: Harper warns that making and breaking another promise will put rocket boosters under Farage

Leadsom threw such caution to the winds and promised Britain will leave the EU on 31st October.

Appointments 2) Cleverly joins the Department for Exiting the European Union

He takes over the role vacated by Heaton-Harris, who resigned yesterday over Theresa May’s decision to reach out to Jeremy Corbyn.

Recap 1) Nineteen posts vacant as May struggles to staff her Government

It is a telling sign that several PPS positions – usually the first step on the ladder for ambitious MPs – have gone unfilled since November.

Heaton-Harris resigns as No Deal Minister: “I simply cannot support any further extension to Article 50”

He praises the work done by civil servants to prepare for exit without a deal – and suggests the Prime Minister has not been fully informed of their progress.

Seven Cabinet Ministers. Half the Whips Office. Eleven Ministers. All these failed to back the Government in yesterday’s extension vote.

Now some of these MPs may have been ill, or absent, or abroad. But how many were slipped with the connivance of the system?

WATCH: “I don’t think the Brexit negotiations are a complete waste of time”, says Brexit minister

“There’s a huge amount of activity,” Heaton-Harris tells Sky News, rejecting Baker’s criticism.

Heaton-Harris and Malthouse promoted to replace Baker and Raab

Downing Street sends a not-very-subtle message in its choice of successors in the mini-reshuffle.

Rebecca Lowe: The May portrait protests. Roll up the map on these Oxford geographers.

Claiming that there’s only one acceptable way of thinking about anything sets us rolling down a slippery slope towards destruction.

Who is to blame for the financial crisis in Northamptonshire?

The County’s seven Conservative MPs are clear that the problems are “self inflicted” due to financial mismanagement. They need to encourage new people to become councillors.

Rebecca Lowe Coulson: MPs shouldn’t inject political bias into the university syllabus – but neither should academics

There is a legitimate question to be asked about whether UK universities have been fulfilling their duty to provide a model of reasoned discourse on Brexit.