The first North Koreans to stand as Conservative candidates help vindicate our democracy

The harrowing personal story of Jihyun Park, followed by her selection as a Tory candidate in Bury, puts current political obsessions in perspective.

Jonathan Werran: More rail investment won’t lead to recovery without more local governance

The final piece in a ConservativeHome mini-series this week on the railways after Covid.

Richard Sloggett: There will be no levelling up for Britain if there’s no levelling up for health. Here’s a plan to deliver it.

The pandemic has regularly pitched the economy and health on different sides of the policy response. This is a false choice.

Richard Holden: This spring’s local elections. For levelling-up to work, we need local councils and leaders who back it.

The sad truth is that many local Labour councils and local bureaucracies don’t want it: they’re scared of it.

What the Red Wall really is. But why it’s also a mindset – not just geography

The term is used to understand the views of people living in traditional Labour heartlands. But it’s more complicated than that.

Ben Houchen: The Budget. On Wednesday, Sunak must hear the voice of the North – and kickstart a new era of job creation.

The “Red Wall” communities in my area overwhelmingly backed Johnson in the last election, and it’s essential that the faith they put in him is returned.

Sajid Javid: Housing First helps to break the cycle of rough sleeping. So let’s scale it up and finish the job.

The Centre for Social Justice’s new report sets out in detail how the programme could be increased from 2,000 to 16,500 places.

Damian Flanagan: Manchester has a central role to play in preserving the UK

It’s better equipped than London to sympathise with the economic realities of what is going on in cities far closer.

Laura Evans: Burnham’s Mayoralty in Greater Manchester has meant four wasted years

Communities have been ignored. Crime has not been taken seriously. Investment opportunities have been missed.

Jenrick, King of Liverpool?

Max Caller, the inspector who brought change to Tower Hamlets, has been sent in to the city. The Government could take control.

A tale of two cities. The Conservative Government has had smooth relations with Liverpool – less so with Manchester.

That part of England where the Tories are most hated has offered the greatest possible cooperation with Boris Johnson.

David Gauke: With a position so exposed, how did Burnham get away with it?

It is a bad sign both for the Government and devolution that the Greater Manchester Mayor has been able to run rings round Ministers.

Iain Dale: The way the BBC and Sky News behave, you’d think we are the only country in the world with a second wave

Plus: Free school meals, Pointless Celebrities, Bower’s book And: “Did the honourable lady just call me scum?” Your chance to drink to that.

Andrew Gimson’s PMQs sketch: Johnson may have no right to feel confident, but for some reason he does

In this battle between optimism and pessimism, hope and fear, faith and scepticism, Starmer found it hard to sow seeds of negativity.

King of the North?

Rob Stark meets a bloody end in Game of Thrones. But he won every battle he fought first – and the Greater Manchester Mayor is following his example.