In the media

True Conservatives believe in our ancient rights to be free: free to spend money and to put it to use how we see fit, free to take control over our sovereignty, and free to operate within the rule of law which should protect our freedoms of speech, privacy, and belief. Which of the candidates to be our next Prime Minister truly believes in freedom? And which one will fight to make sure our laws guarantee this and don’t take them away? Read the article [conservativehome.com]

The recent furore over National Insurance and social care has once again brought into focus the lack of resilience of our public finances. Putting aside the large National Debt we have and the deficit, or the vast amount of QE driving up asset prices everywhere, we seem to be endlessly stuck in a loop whereby taxes have to rise after global events such as pandemics, war, or financial crises. Read the article [conservativehome.com]

Enough is enough. We need to start planning not to go back to the pre-pandemic normal, but for a different world in which we seek to both maximise our freedoms, but where lockdowns can really become a thing of the past, or at least become very unlikely or unnecessary. Why have we put ourselves in a situation in which our economy, education system and healthcare service shuts down the moment we are at risk of filling 30 thousand beds? Surely it would be better to move diagnosis and treatment of healthcare problems away from hospitals, so that we can get ...

"Readers of my blog and ConHome will know that I have been a big advocate for using the crisis that is upon us to build a more resilient Britain – given that there will be many twists and turns both with the virus, and the many other shocks ahead as the climactic, geopolitical, and online environment convulses in the years ahead." Read the article [conservativehome.com]

The youngest person in the House of Lords when he was given a peerage at the age of 33, Lord Wei meets Alice Thomson and Rachel Sylvester where he grew up in Milton Keynes. Listen [BBC Radio 4]

Over the last decade, Conservatives in government have focussed significant efforts on two priority areas. The first has been putting power in people’s hands – through referenda, by handing back power to cities and elected Mayors, and through Brexit. We’ve also most recently – and quite rightly – put a lot of energy into addressing the housing crisis – a major driver of quality of life and social mobility not just for today’s generation but also for the voters of tomorrow. Read the article [conservativehome.com]

Baby boomers should be encouraged to complete “national service” for pensioners after they retire, according to David Cameron’s former Big Society tsar. Read the article [telegraph.co.uk]