Robert Halfon: AK47s, pluralism, war, students, cigars – and I get high. What I saw amidst Kurdistan’s fledgeling democracy.

I hope that, one day, it is no longer just an autonomous region in Iraq, but gets the independence it deserves.

Andy Maciver: The risk of the indyref myth

There is no natural majority for independence in Scotland. It will only happen if unionists keep getting it wrong.

Peter Franklin: Physician, heal thyself; think tanks, re-think thyselves

Onward seems set to propound the liberal and Freer the libertarian versions of the globalist agenda. Where does that leave the anti-globalist voters who now back the Tories?

Tatchell defends anti-abortion protests – and tells how he got Cameron and Johnson to support same-sex marriage

The veteran LGBT campaigner says the former Prime Minister’s aides “were terrified I might try and kiss him, or superglue myself to the Cabinet table”.

Shaun Bailey: We are the party of social mobility – but we must increase our focus on disadvantaged communities

They feel left behind and untouched by the economic progress that has been made. Getting people into work must be at the top of our priority list.

Spain’s new leader owes his post to Catalan separatists – will he choose to appease them?

Pedro Sánchez’s quest for a ‘solution’ is doomed – there is no combination of concessions which would either satiate or weaken the nationalists.

Simone Finn: The Government must name its price on the Swansea Bay tidal lagoon

If Ministers believe that 30p on annual bills is too high a price, they should seek the right number – and a deal to get us there.

Chloe Westley: Enough talk of tax rises from Tory Ministers. Let’s have tax cuts instead. Or else what are they for?

The Conservatives are not going to win the hearts and minds of the British people by proposing Labour-lite policies. There must be something different on offer.

The Tory Left: not always Out, not necessarily Loud, but definitely Proud – and a growing force

A list of new Tory Reform Group patron MPs suggests that it is stronger in the Commons than it may look.

Early steps towards a modern Swinton College

A low-key event with an invited audience next week will explore how to apply lessons and methods from the Party’s past to its present and future.

We can’t just tax our way to a better NHS

Yes, some rises are inevitable. But they must be balanced by spending reductions elsewhere if economic policy is to be practicable and coherent.

James Frayne: Onward, the new think-tank, is rightly focused on what matters to provincial Britain

It would be easy, but mistaken, to take the path of least resistance and simply re-enact the dated Cameron ‘modernising’ agenda.

Alex Morton: Are you angry with the Lords? If so, don’t threaten to abolish or elect it. Here’s a better reform.

It should be able to amend proposed legislation only once – or propose laws itself once, with the Commons only needing to vote against these to block them.

Lord Ashcroft: My pride at working for our military veterans over the past six years

My role was to help make it easier for thousands of people a year to manage a successful transition from the armed forces to civilian life.

The Government has lost momentum on free schools, faith schools, and grammars

Today’s announcements are extremely cautious. Some of this is justified, some less so, but it makes a stark contrast to the Gove era.