Profile: Nadine Dorries, Johnson loyalist. A splash of colour amidst a grey landscape. And promoted by him for precisely that reason.

She shares with him the ability to throw opponents off balance – and a commitment to levelling up.

Mike Hurleston: Only the Conservatives care about Stockport’s gridlocked roads

Labour and Lib Dem councillors offer a seemingly endless stream of virtue signalling motions. We want practical results.

The Election Battlegrounds 3) North West

Our series continues with a look at another key region, which offers a decent clutch of targets to either Labour or the Conservatives on a good night.

The Conservatives shouldn’t settle for coming third in Oldham

We can’t win a workable majority without breaking through in more seats in the urban and suburban North and Midlands.

Battlegrounds Revisited 1) The North West

In the aftermath of the election, we revisit our regional profiles to see how the parties fared compared to expectations.

Lord Ashcroft: The Conservatives lead by two points in this week’s Ashcroft National Poll

Plus: This week’s focus groups in Pudsey, Hazel Grove, and Rossendale & Darwen; and how much do we really know about the party leaders?

The Election Battleground 1) The North West

In the first of our series looking at May’s electoral battlegrounds, we explore the fierce fights which are taking place across the North West.