The benefits squeeze will cause real hardship to many families. It’s a necessary measure in difficult times but no Tory should see it as a political ploy.

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter A YouGov poll for The Sunday Times (PDF) suggests that most people (52%) believe… Read more »

The voters give their verdict on the economy: The Coalition is rubbish but Labour would be even worse

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter The latest YouGov survey for The Sun (PDF) confirms that the public have a… Read more »

Cameron and Boris both want renegotiation not exit — but both seem ready to give voters an In/Out choice

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter "The London Mayor forces the pace on Europe, telling the Prime Minister to sever… Read more »

A twitch of a tentacle from Octopus Osborne puts Neil O’Brien in post

By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Tim Montgomerie yesterday offered congratulations to George Osborne, and commiserations to Policy Exchange, on… Read more »

George Osborne appoints Neil O’Brien as new adviser and opens door to a more blue collar, northern conservatism

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Another sign this morning that Team Cameron is succeeding in recruiting the calibre of… Read more »

Not the big state. Not the small state. But the affordable state.

By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter This is the fifth in ConservativeHome's series of posts counting down to the Autumn… Read more »

Grant Shapps “categorically” rules out a pact with UKIP

By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. Following on from Michael Fabricant MP's suggestion that a pact with UKIP could win… Read more »

Theresa Villiers speaks at the DUP’s conference – a further sign of improving unionist-Tory relations

By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. I have, in the past, noted the occasional subtle overtures the Conservative leadership gives… Read more »

George Osborne is planning for married couples’ tax breaks in next year’s Budget

By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. The Sunday Telegraph carries the story that Conservative Ministers are drawing up plans to… Read more »

Scottish Conservatives launch new logo and website at National Convention

By Matthew BarrettFollow Matthew on Twitter. The Scottish Conservatives have launched a new party logo. The new logo has a… Read more »

Shapps signals that election debates may not happen in 2015

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter For my review of the last Tory general election campaign I was fortunate to interview… Read more »

Labour 9% ahead of the Conservatives. Cameron 8% ahead of Miliband. Lord Ashcroft’s new mega poll of 8,000 voters.

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Labour has a 41% to 32% overall lead in Lord Ashcroft's latest mega opinion… Read more »

Will Lynton Crosby clear up Downing Street’s cluttered lines of command?

By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Martin Rowson's Guardian cartoon this morning shows Lynton Crosby dumping a bucket of ordure… Read more »

The lesson of yesterday’s elections. Unlike his predecessors, Cameron is under siege from two sides

By Paul GoodmanFollow Paul on Twitter Conventional wisdom is that elections are won from the centre.  That image naturally leads… Read more »

A measly 5% of Britons would vote for an anti-state party and it’s time for all Tories to drop the libertarian language

By Tim MontgomerieFollow Tim on Twitter Last month ConHome asked YouGov to ask people which of three visions of a… Read more »