Columnists

Alex Morton: Five housing reforms that we need to implement straight away

Given the long lead times involved in constructing new homes, we can’t afford to let the Government’s weakness or distracted state delay us.

Daniel Hannan: Even the blockade of Qatar hasn’t produced the calamity that hysterical Remainers now predict from Brexit

Their hysterical tone serves only to make EU negotiators dig in deeper – thus, paradoxically, making a breakdown in talks more likely.

James Frayne: The Special Relationship is real – new polling proves it

The idea is often derided as a myth, meaningless beyond the minds of a few Conservatives – but we now know it is rooted in widespread popular feeling.

Henry Newman: Unstopping the Northern Ireland backstop, which threatens to block a deal

The Government must avoid one which can be ‘triggered’ in the event of any UK regulatory divergence on goods or agriculture.

Chloe Westley: There must be no compromise on ending free movement

Implementing a fair and controlled skills-based immigration system would be a huge win for the Government – and deliver on a key pledge of the Brexit campaign.

Iain Dale: Lewis didn’t deliberately break a pairing arrangement this week

Plus: Those who worked with him at Vote Leave have a duty of care to Darren Grimes. And: Don’t try to out-stare Raab.

Henry Hill: Soubry calls for government of ‘national unity’… with the separatists

Also: May pledges no hard border on visit to Ulster; Williamson plans to compensate troops for SNP tax hikes; Welsh Assembly to rebrand; and more.

Garvan Walshe: Mueller is closing in on Watergate II – this time with Russian spies in place of Nixon’s homegrown goons

Trump asks us to believe Putin’s denial that Russian military intelligence did the job for him. And who wouldn’t believe those two honest men?

Rebecca Lowe: What does it really mean to ‘stand up for your principles’?

The phrase tends to get thrown around as if it means something undeniably and wholly positive, but it’s more complicated than that.

Robert Halfon: A second referendum would be an insult to the people, a stunt worthy of a banana republic

Plus: Why it’s unfair to misrepresent Poland’s history; and the joy of a good book and a large cigar.

James Frayne: A second referendum? The poll data suggests Greening’s idea would be a total disaster for the Conservatives

The British left are somewhat more open to the idea, but the Conservative Party’s members and voters would not wear the proposal

Nicky Morgan: Once again, we split over Europe. Once again, we undermine our leader. We Conservatives are set to repeat the same failed cycle. Will we never learn?

We are re-proving that ‘we learn from history that we do not learn from history’.