Our top ten picks of the week

Candidates. The ‘assessment centres’ have begun – but what’s changed?

John Moss

“The Conservatives have overhauled their candidates procedures – here’s what would-be MPs should prepare for.”

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How Tories are closing a difficult year with some cautious optimism

Tali Fraser

“The Conservative Party remains under pressure, but the sense of paralysis that defined much of the year has eased. Badenoch’s leadership seems to have finally steadied the party and lifted the mood.”

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How Britain’s seaside towns are drowning under Labour

Joe Robertson

“Behind the fond memories of a holiday to the coast lies a difficult reality – our coastal economies are being slowly choked, not for lack of talent or ambition, but by a government that doesn’t understand how they work.”

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Tories must stop retreating to knee-jerk Nimbyism

Emma Revell

“The Tories are meant to be the party that tells the truth to the voters. And retreating to knee-jerk Nimbyism is the opposite of truth-telling.”

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Candidates. CCHQ is testing heavily for good campaigners – but being good legislators seems irrelevant

Henry Hill

“Not only does it lean even further into the natural advantages as prospective candidates enjoyed by councillors, but it will in general select for MPs who conduct themselves like councillors regardless.”

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Only legally binding commitments to defend Ukraine will prevent further war

Lord Ashcroft

“Any state guaranteeing peace must be legally bound to do so, particularly amid political volatility across the continent.”

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Conservatives cannot be overconfident, complacent or naive but there is an opportunity for them

David Gauke

“Offer a credible economic plan; demonstrate a determination to solve problems, not just exploit them; recognise that lessons have been learnt from the Tory time in office.”

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Peter Golds

“Secret rooms and tunnels had somehow been left off the planning application. Once again the government stonewalled parliamentary questions.”

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Labour’s Employment Rights Bill is bad legislation before you even get to its negative impact on jobs

Andrew Griffith

“If Labour force through the Bill this week, the next Conservative government will repeal all of its job-destroying and union militant boosting measures.”

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You know what the Tories can give everyone for Christmas? A dose of hope

Giles Dilnot

“There’s a clear political advantage for any who adopt language that frames their vision in a positive way. It’s simple psychology. People want something to believe in more than they want something that will give them Schadenfreude.”