Nicholas Boys Smith: New homes and places can and should be beautiful

Yesterday’s announcement of Government’s design guidance is a very welcome step in the right direction.

WATCH: “We need to get the numbers back up”, says Malthouse

“It will be the biggest expansion of policing – probably – ever,” according the Policing Minister.

Johnson’s ministerial appointments

We’ll continue to update this as the Prime Minister fills out the lower ranks of his government.

ConHome’s Ministerial recommendations: how did we do and what did we learn?

The key to promotion in this shuffle wasn’t primarily having backed Leave – it was supporting Johnson.

Johnson is set to face an early general election. His Cabinet must be ruthlessly shaped to fight it – on a No Deal platform.

Its members must be signed up to leaving on October 31. Here’s a rough draft of what the top team might look like.

This week’s winner in the Tory leadership election is…Johnson

The vocation of the front-runner is not to mess up. And he hasn’t. Indeed, he has picked up support – and upped the pace.

Scandal of the council-owned empty garages continues

Our survey identified 15,875 of them. Many of these could be redeveloped to provide new homes.

Now Malthouse withdraws from the leadership election. “There is an appetite for this contest to be over quickly.”

He leaves the field as the 1922 Committee agrees and announces rules for the conduct of the election.

Message to the ’22: please speed up the ballots

We see no reason why the bottom three, say, shouldn’t fall out each time – rather than just the one, as previously.

WATCH: Malthouse sets out his stall as the man who can take Britain out

“We have to carefully put together the governing party into a majority which will deliver a Brexit deal, which is what I did back in January.”

Royston Smith: Why I am voting for Malthouse

We need a range of policies, an understanding of the challenges and a solutions-based approach that will unite our Party – and our country.

This week’s winner in the Tory leadership contest is…Gove

His announcement on EU nationals – crafted to appeal to liberal Leavers, Remainers and Softer Brexiteers – has perfect pitch in terms of the coalition he is trying to build.

Our survey. Next Tory Leader. So much excitement, so little change. Johnson maintains his lead.

He, Raab and Gove are in the same order as last month – first, second and third. No other candidate reaches double figures.

WATCH: Malthouse – “I am the only person who decided to get off my backside and…try a new approach” to Brexit

He is up-front that: “One of the criticisms that’s been levelled at me today is that nobody knows who I am.”

Next Tory Leader: Present runners and riders

There are no fewer than 11 candidates declared as we write, and at least eight others who might join the fray.