Profile: Munira Mirza, the Muslim from Oldham who leads Johnson’s Policy Unit

The Prime Minister is being urged to employ more women, but here is one who already makes it difficult for him to get away with sloppy thinking.

Victoria Hewson: The curious tale of Oxfordshire, a trans inclusion toolkit – and a High Court Review

The application by a 13-year-old schoolgirl could change the way in which schools and colleges apply guidance on gender identity.

James Blagden: How to level up – and get growth going across the whole of the country

We can’t continue to favour projects such as Crossrail over developing infrastructure in other parts of the country which generate much greater relative returns.

Neil O’Brien: R & D. We invest disproportionately in the first at the expense of the second. Here’s how to improve.

This imbalance is driven by the core science budget: the Research Councils (which fund projects) and Quality Related “QR” funding, which universities allocate.

Neil O’Brien: Policies for a new Britain – in which the central point for new Tory MPs is the moors on the edge of Sheffield

Can have a bold enough economic policy that people in these newly gained seats can see the difference in five years’ time?

Ryan Bourne: To help grow prosperity, let’s focus on people and not places – such as towns

Bowman and Westlake’s policy ideas are perfectly compatible with this end, but pitching them as a city and town agenda risks creating a false impression.

Alan Mak: Conservatism 4.0 – Adapting our Party for the Fourth Industrial Revolution is our greatest challenge

The battlegrounds of the next election, as well as the wider economy, are being shaped by new technology.

Daniel Stafford: Recall petitions should be introduced for local councillors

This small measure may well go some way to restoring the faith of voters in democratic measures – not least in Oxford.

Profile: Philip May, the Prime Minister’s closest and best sounding board

He would be averse to leaving without a deal, but even more alarmed by the idea of taking any course of action which risked breaking the Tory Party into fragments.

James Palmer: We need a Minister for East West Rail

We must drive this project forward. It is a vital piece of infrastructure which could allow a million new homes to be built. But we need to sort out the route.

Philip Booth: Housing. Why this Tory fascination with statism? Let’s give the market a chance instead.

In other words, let us do things a bit more like everywhere else in the world and a bit more like we used to in the UK.

Vote Conservative today

For many voters, local elections boil down to which party will provide the best possible services at the lowest possible cost.

Britishness is a political, not a racial, characteristic

Afua Hirsch recounts her inability, as a person of mixed race, to feel she truly belongs in either Britain or Ghana.

Peter Franklin: “Allowing expansion where it’s needed will mean some building on the green belt.” An open letter to Dominic Raab.

“This is the most important job of your political career so far – and there’s a lot riding on what you make of it. On this one you need to make a difference.”

Hammond’s economicky survivorish escapy Budget

The lack of a Conservative Commons majority prevented the Chancellor from doing much more than playing it safe – which he did effectively.