Conservative education policy is up for grabs

We trail a mini-series on what might happen next amidst a sense of uncertainty about will follow the Gove reforms.

A cold climate for younger voters

Trashing last Friday’s event is doubtless fun for Conservative commentators, but not the right course at all for the Conservative Party.

Interview. “Look, this is a Christian country”, says Hinds. But he adds that the cap on new faith schools’ admissions should stay.

At times, says the Education Secretary, the post he holds requires “a bold and vociferous and constant presence”. But “at other times less so”.

The most pro-intervention speech by a Defence Secretary since the Iraq War

Is the Treasury up for funding and voters up for supporting the ideas he sketched out ealier this week?

Iain Dale: Replace Hammond with Gove, promote Mordaunt, bring back Raab

Plus: Snubbed by a Remainer. Delighted for Beth Rigby. Tusk japes, May spooks, Francois almost self-combusts. And: is Brexit Brecksit or Breggsit?

To Hell with Tusk

All he may have achieved is to make the No Deal that neither side of the negotiations wants marginally more likely.

Hunt loses pole position in our Cabinet League Table as overall ratings languish

The Chief Whip has enjoyed something of a boost from last month’s victories on crucial votes, but the overall picture reflects a settled disenchantment.

Our survey. Next Tory leader. Stasis as Johnson carries on leading amidst little expectation of change.

Although the Prime Minister’s position is fragile, there is no sense of a contest in the offing any time soon.

Mark Lehain: Gove was right to support headteachers over excluded pupils

Halfon is wrong to attribute the rise in school exclusion rates to any disregard for those affected.

Will Tanner: Labour’s war on free schools would be a direct attack on social mobility

Rayner’s hostility to academies runs against both the interests and preferences of parents and pupils alike.

Andrew Gimson’s Commons sketch: Corbyn digs himself into a hole as the Prime Minister starts to unite her party

The Leader of the Opposition looked totally incapable of taking over.

Damian Hinds: Labour is wrong to turn its back on academies

Putting teachers and heads in charge has consistently allowed schools and pupils to excel. We must continue to put our trust in them.

Henry Newman: Norway Plus, Common Market 2.0. Call it whatever you like, it could basically leave us as a non-voting EU member

It amounts to wishful thinking, not a workable, sustainable answer. And it’s not as easy to implement as some of its advocates make out.

Dan Watkins: Six reasons why the Conservatives deserved to win that no confidence vote yesterday

It’s not hard to find reasons to be frustrated with the Government, but we are still delivering for the British people.

Decision time for Javid and Hunt?

Neither is at all likely indeed to succeed May if they nod reluctant assent to any scheme to sign up to the Customs Union – which might not succeed in any event.