Zach Castles: Meet the conservative who could become New Zealand’s first Maori Prime Minister

Polling well, more than financially buoyant and administratively competent and unified, the National Party is in a strong position.

Iain Dale: Is Barnier now conspiring with Corbyn to bring down May?

Plus: Major’s error. The Prime Minister’s jokes. Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow. And: the angels want to wear my red suit.

Henry Hill: Bradley mulls MLA pay cut as direct rule looms

Also: Scottish Tory MPs break ranks for clean Brexit; Welsh Conservatives demand Jones publishes leak inquiry; Smith attacks Murrison over loyalist’s invitation; and more.

Garvan Walshe: To get real Brexit for Great Britain, the DUP should consent to Ulster staying in the Single Market and Customs Union

If there’s to be no border in Ireland, and Britain is to leave the Customs Union and Single Market, it follows that there must be a customs border on the Irish Sea.

The Belfast Agreement is the best agreement we’ve got

For all its compromises and ambiguities, it is the only practicable means to hand of giving the province something approaching normalcy.

Why Northern Ireland’s talks collapsed. Sinn Fein’s red line was too green for the DUP.

Even if the DUP and Sinn Fein could persuade their communities to back the compromises necessary, they have not done so.

Henry Hill: Stormont talks collapse as Foster joins calls for direct rule

Also: SNP’s deputy leadership contest reveals splits over Europe and ‘Indyref2’; and Jones demands ‘soft border’ between Irish and Welsh ports post-Brexit.

The Belfast Agreement should not be hijacked to sacralise all of Dublin’s demands

It does not stipulate that an invisible border with the Republic trumps the integrity of the United Kingdom.

Henry Hill: Deal to restore Stormont could apparently be done ‘in days’

Also: Tension in Welsh Labour as Sargeant’s son wins Assembly by-election; and Robertson resigns and triggers SNP deputy leadership election.

Thomas Hogg: Let’s get a sense of perspective. May must stay – and here’s why.

I finish by imploring you to consider the effect on our Brexit negotiations if we change negotiators half way through.

Henry Hill: Welsh Tories demand that Jones gives investigators his personal emails

Also: Bradley admits that she is obliged to call an Ulster election (but won’t say when); Tories attack SNP’s ‘double-dip’ tax hike; and more.

Henry Hill: Talk of direct rule as top civil servant redeploys to Northern Ireland

Also: May wades into Scottish flag row; Liberal Democrat accused of costing taxpayers thousands to prop up Jones; and DUP dismiss legal threat to £1 billion deal.

Henry Hill: May resists DUP calls for direct rule as Bradley calls for yet more talks

Also: Tories say data proves Sturgeon should abandon tax plans; Jones joins Scottish Conservatives to menace the Withdrawal Bill; and DUP may back boundary review.

Lord Ashcroft: “There are more rainy days than sunny days.” My New Year focus groups.

People did not feel committed to their current party. The next election was, they hoped, a long way away, by which time much could have changed.

Henry Hill: Foster calls for direct rule in Northern Ireland after meeting with Bradley

Also: Scottish Tories row in behind bid to wreck the Withdrawal Bill; infighting in Welsh Labour over method of electing new leader; and more.