Henry Smith: Why our ancient counties need preserving

While Lancashire is in the main in Lancashire, Wigan is both in and not in, like a Schrödinger county cat.

Robert Halfon: Do Barwell’s bean-counters lack the vision to see why Tories must campaign for social justice?

Plus: why John Bald is wrong to be critical on this site of the Education Select Committee’s report on school exclusions.

Patrick Spencer and Gerard Lyons: Yes, the British jobs story is a good one – but we can’t count on it carrying on forever

A report published by the Centre for Social Justice today outlines four major traps that could jeopardise Britain’s employment miracle.

Peter Lilley: Sovereignty or prosperity? It’s a false choice. They go hand in hand.

Not being able to blame Brussels for our problems nor look to the EU for solutions will be immensely reinvigorating.

Monima O’Connor: Post-Brexit, Wales could boom as never before

Once free of EU regulations, the Government can finally revive Britain’s long-neglected network of regional airfields to bring regions closer to major markets.

Ed Cox: The North has taken a step closer to getting the transport infrastructure it deserves

Transport for the North can now set its own priorities and make its own plans – but Westminster must devolve more powers to allow it to reach its full potential.

Judy Terry: Labour’s plan to revive Regional Development Agencies is flawed

Little was achieved beyond inter-authority squabbling over priorities and endless consultants’ reports. The Local Enterprise Partnerships are much better.

Suzanne Malcolm: Council officials lack the knowledge to deliver economic development

Expertise in this are is key to successful localism and devolution and improving our prosperity, productivity and competitiveness.

Charlie Elphicke: Ready on Day One for lower, fairer, simpler taxes to boost jobs and growth

The fourth article in a five-piece series by the author on how Britain must prepare for March 31 2019 – and has less than 600 days to get it right.

James Palmer: The Land Value Cap offers the chance of more affordable infrastructure

Capping the value of land adjacent to a new motorway, and recouping a charge from those who develop it, would help fund essential new roads.

Andrew Laird: Greater devolution would make for a more smooth-running nation

More powers for Andy Street in the West Midlands should just be the start.

Prospects for the economy 2) Andy Silvester: The fundamentals are strong. But confidence is in shorter supply.

Doomsday predictions remain overblown, but the real, specific concerns of business are worth listening to nonetheless.

Judy Terry: The Local Enterprise Partnerships are a Conservative success story

They provide much better value for money than Labour’s unwieldy Regional Development Agencies managed.

Free marketeers and interventionists battle for the soul of the Conservative manifesto

The former fear that it will revive what they believe are business-unfriendly ideas about foreign takeovers and workers on boards.

Sean Worth: The right industrial strategy could pay electoral dividends

Downing Street can win votes in the regions without resorting to Blair’s pork-barrel spending.