Jake Scott: To defend the ‘Blue Wall’, Tory MPs must be prepared to defy the whip

To paraphrase Burke, they owe their Party, as much as their electors, the benefit of their independent, locally-informed judgement.

When it comes to dealing with its own MPs, this Government is out of its depth

Some of its problems can be fixed. Others won’t be. And one perhaps can’t be: namely, that this Parliament seems to be incapable of saying No.

Iain Dale: The arrogance of Cummings, the failures of the Guardian – and why we all need to keep a sense of proportion.

He’s a distraction and so can’t possibly have his mind on the job. But the Guardian and Mirror got a lot of the story wrong – and should apologise.

Invictus: The bedwetter Tory MPs who panicked over Cummings need drying out

They owe him and Johnson their seats – and won’t save themselves by turning on him. If necessary, they should lose the whip.

Cummings made a reasonable case yesterday, and his critics should accept it – and move on

Any fair-minded observer would think better of him at the end of yesterday’s press conference than he or she may have done at the beginning.

Cummings. The Prime Minister is now gambling on what the ’22 does next.

Assuming no new revelations or his adviser’s resignation, he can either tough it out or order an inquiry.

Cummings 1) At a stroke, the row has weakened the authority of the lockdown

If so much, as Ministers suggest, depends on common sense, nuance, context and common sense, people will draw the inevitable conclusion.

An undertow of doubt about the Government’s competence is washing through the Conservative Parliamentary Party

And contrary to Johnson’s figure of speech, we haven’t yet reached the mountain peak. The difficult part of the climb is only just beginning.

What will Conservative MPs make of the Prime Minister’s new plan – not just this morning, but during the coming weeks?

The ’22 Executive has been pushing for a faster end to lockdown, and many Tory MPs agree. But they’re more likely to follow public opinion than lead it.

What Conservative MPs told us about the lockdown’s future. The consensus is for a gradual easing.

But there is no simple split between the Left and Right of the Party, and no sense of rebellion, at least yet.

Rally round Raab

The Government needs to give shape and definition to its backroom plans to end the lockdown. His colleagues must support the man in charge.

Philip Lynch: We may not have seen the last of Conservative infighting on Europe

The new parliamentary party is more Eurosceptic, and a majority government better-positioned to absorb rebellions. And yet…

Britain moves nearer to a full quarantine. Now watch for the moves to isolate Johnson.

The perils and volatility that the Coronavirus – that ultimate leveller-down – brings with it suddenly endanger last year’s near-landslide winner.

The rights and wrongs of the Government’s treatment of the self-employed

The Chancellor should make further provision for them. But the vast though necessary expansion of state spending will need emergency powers-type checks.

WATCH: Luke Evans, NHS doctor and Tory MP, on self-distancing and self-isolation – what’s the difference?

Conservative MPs who have returned to the NHS front line to help tackle the virus include Maria Caulfield and Caroline Johnson.