Courage means sacrifices. May pays a price for her social care plan in today’s opinion polls.

None the less, a fall in the Conservative poll lead is not unhelpful to Downing Street and CCHQ at this stage of the campaign.

Lord Ashcroft: In the West Midlands, the heads of my Labour-background focus group battle with their hearts

“I just feel worried. I don’t know if I would a hundred per cent want to vote for the Conservatives, because still emotionally I’m attached to Labour.”

Scottish Tory candidate selections proceed apace using fast-track rules

John Lamont selected to fight Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk, as a poll puts Davidson’s team on course to win as many as 12 seats.

In defence of Edward Heath

It isn’t necessary to be one of his supporters to believe that it is time for Wiltshire Police to put up or shut up.

No, no, no: May’s Maggie’s moment. No ECJ. No Single Market. No Customs Union. What her Europe speech this week will say.

She must prepare the political way for popularising MFN status if her programme is rejected by the other side of the table.

By banging on about integration, Casey may help to build it up – just a little bit

We need a mass of recommendations less than we need our institutions to do their job properly.

Graeme Archer: Use that liberal muscle – like any muscle, use it or lose it.

I can just about imagine why a gay Parisian might just decide to send an unequivocal message to the Left at the next election.

An opportunity for McLoughlin to welcome 50,000 new Party members

The number of new members has surged since the EU referendum – and our columnist Andrew Kennedy has the low-down on who they are.

Nick Boles: We modernisers aren’t, repeat aren’t, quitting the Party. We’re staying put – and we’ve so much more to do.

We have never been more mainstream in the Conservative Party – so much so that most practitioners have never felt the need to identify themselves as such.

Ros Altmann should be sacked

Numbers 10 and 11 say that she attacked Duncan Smith without their approval. They can prove it by removing her as Pensions Minister.

Bramall, Proctor, “Nick” – and why Hogan-Howe has serious questions to answer

How is it that a police officer said that the claims of “Nick” are “credible and true”?

Iain Dale: Prat. Gaffe. Scoop. And Treacherous Bastard. My End of Year Awards.

Plus: Thank you for the three bottles of vintage wine…but you forgot to enclose a note with your name. Christmas, eh?

Daniel Hannan: It’s time for Conservative MPs to come off the fence on the EU

It is now clear that the renegotiation process has proved that the Union is incapable of reform.

Isabel Oakeshott: Brexit campaigners don’t know friend from enemy

Vote Leave and leave.eu need to join together to fight the pro-EU campaign – and not each other.

From Reggie to Dessie: Calling all Tory MPs. If in doubt of your sexuality, please consult Dr Sarah Wollaston or Dr Phillip Lee

Plus: Soames makes his way towards a gender-neutral loo. Lunch with Tyrie, lunch with Kirby. The Shipley Strangler strikes again. And: George Simpson saves the day.