Manifesto small print 6) An end to the prospect of ‘rural mayors’

Instead the Party talks about “consolidation”, but is that just a sign that the reforms have no champion left in Number 10?

Devolution is failing British children

Conservatives in Scotland and Wales should make it their mission to break the stifling consensus in Cardiff and Edinburgh – and embrace cross-border comparisons.

James Frayne: May, not Cameron, is the real heir to Blair

Those looking to find what she really stands for may one day get an answer. But the point for the here and now is: she seeks to dominate the mainstream.

The metro mayors can help rebuild urban conservatism

A look back at 1997 shows how transient landslides can be. City devolution gives Tories the chance to bed themselves in properly in new parts of the political map.

Andrew Laird: A new Conservative Government can show that fairness is the route to productivity

One place where there is unlikely to be any dithering is the West Midlands. The prospect of someone like Andy Street becoming mayor is hugely exciting.

Ciaran Cadden: Northern Ireland needs voluntary coalitions to revive devolution

The general election may have put the latest crisis on hold, but the dominance of Stormont’s ‘big two’ will keep causing problems.

Matthew Ellery: Plaid Cymru is seeking to subvert the wish of the Welsh people for Brexit

It has also contradicted its stance that “laws which impact the people of Wales should be made in Wales”.

Henry Hill: Sturgeon is backing away from head-on confrontation with May

Also: Brokenshire sets Good Friday deadline for talks as UUP elect new leader; and Welsh Tories regain second place as Reckless ‘re-rats’ from UKIP.

Henry Hill: Brokenshire threatens direct rule if no deal reached in Ulster

Also: why the Prime Minister is playing for time on a second Scottish independence referendum; and veteran Welsh MP says her support for devolution ‘a mistake’.

WATCH: Brokenshire reports failure of Ulster crisis talks

“It is extremely disappointing that an Executive has not been formed in Northern Ireland today. There will be widespread dismay across the community.”

Wednesday reminded people that Westminster is worth defending

The seat of our national politics is deeply unfashionable in constitutional circles, but is essential to a well-governed and united kingdom.

Henry Hill: Davidson tells Greens to honour their own manifesto, not the SNP’s

Also: Jones calls for grand council to create a federalist vision for Labour, and Government rebuffs Irish leader over Ulster comments.

Gordon Brown is right – Brexit must mean more power devolved to Scotland

But more control should also be handed down to Scottish local authorities.

Thatcher didn’t dare sack Heseltine. But now May has done so.

His position as an adviser was more than decorative and he will be a loss. But as someone or other once put it, there is no alternative.

The DUP must treat this self-inflicted defeat as a spur for serious reform

They’ve fumbled a strong unionist position into a serious setback. Let it at least provoke a long-overdue shake-up in capital-U Unionist thinking.