What the Makerfield and Aberdeen South by-elections tell us. My piece for ConHome on a good night for the Tories and why tactical voting could be disastrous for Reform. conservativehome.com/2026/06/22/d...

Quote re Burnham which really worries me. ‘His habit of saying whatever the audience in front of him wants to hear will, I fear, make him a poor Prime Minister, but it is an annoyingly successful approach to winning elections.’

David Gauke has picked out what, for me was the main message of the recent by elections, not much mentioned. Reform is very vulnerable to tactical voting. It was there in Makerfield, including defections from Conservatives who want to stop Farage.

What the Makerfield and Aberdeen South by-elections tell us. My piece for ConHome on a good night for the Tories and why tactical voting could be disastrous for Reform. conservativehome.com/2026/06/22/d...

It is time for political parties to be brave and honest. Our welfare spending is not sustainable. We must scrap the triple lock, writes @davidgauke.bsky.social

Good piece - contains a link to a Police Professional piece by Tony Thompson that is really worth your time also:

Why what went wrong when the police arrived at the scene might have nothing to do with race, but the police still need to change their wider approach. Plus why Reform’s response shows why the Tories can’t do business with them. My ConHome piece on the Nowak case. conservativehome.com/2026/06/08/d...

How Andy Burnham has to speak to Makerfield voters, Labour members & the bond market - and what his policy contortions tell us about the Labour Party. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/05/25/d...

Makerfield voted 65% Leave in 2016 (the 75th most Leave seat). Over the next few weeks, there’ll be plenty of news coverage about Brexit (reset negotiations, 10th anniversary). Andy Burnham is a rejoiner. If Reform can’t make Brexit work for them here, it’ll tell us a lot.

In the circumstances where a centre left government will have failed but most of the country does not want a Reform government, there is plenty of space for a centre right platform to prosper. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/05/11/d...

Looking forward to this on Thursday. www.ticketsource.com/festival-of-...

My ConHome piece on the election results and why the Conservatives need to change strategy and appeal more to swing voters and anti-Reform tactical voters. conservativehome.com/2026/05/11/d...

🚨 OUT NOW 🚨 A Tory revival or one final nail on May 7? 🔵 Tory MP Jack Rankin, former minister @davidgauke.bsky.social, and ConservativeHome's Tali Fraser join @alaintolhurst.bsky.social and @matildamartin.bsky.social to discuss whether the Conservative Party can recover 🎧 Listen: pod.fo/e/40b39b

This is fascinating about a part of the electorate that is too often ignored by our political parties.

It was worse in the 1970s but it can certainly feel like history repeating itself. My piece for ConHome on the echoes of Tony Benn we’re hearing today. conservativehome.com/2026/04/27/d...

If you’re looking for radical economic reform from Reform, think again. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/04/13/d...

If you’re looking for radical economic reform from Reform, think again. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/04/13/d...

How should policymakers respond to higher energy costs? My ConHome piece on two unpopular realities - we cannot afford to do much, and that the price mechanism is a useful way to change behaviour. conservativehome.com/2026/03/30/d...

a more serious contribution to the debate on fuel prices than we have seen from the official opposition parties

How should policymakers respond to higher energy costs? My ConHome piece on two unpopular realities - we cannot afford to do much, and that the price mechanism is a useful way to change behaviour. conservativehome.com/2026/03/30/d...

My ConHome column on Iran and why British politicians should keep their distance from Donald Trump. conservativehome.com/2026/03/16/d...

My ConHome column on Iran and why British politicians should keep their distance from Donald Trump. conservativehome.com/2026/03/16/d...

Gorton & Denton: why, unusually, this was an important by-election. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/03/02/d...

Gorton & Denton: why, unusually, this was an important by-election. My piece for ConHome. conservativehome.com/2026/03/02/d...

In over 84% of seats lost in 2024, the larger opportunity is not on the right. It lies with voters who backed Labour or the Liberal Democrats – or who have since disengaged. That’s why we’re going out meeting voters and businesses to help shape a serious, pro-growth offer that can win again.

The Conservative Party wins as a broad church. Yes, we lost votes to Reform. But for every one who went there, 1.3 went to Labour, the Lib Dems, or disengaged altogether. Rebuilding means offering something to them too - serious, pro-growth, pragmatic politics that can win a majority again.

Many thanks to all those who came to the Rose & Crown, Chorleywood on Wednesday to hear about @prosperuk.bsky.social.

A broad church isn’t about ideology. It’s about winning and governing. 7 million centre and centre-right voters feel unrepresented. If the focus is growth, living standards and competence, they can be won back. Sign up today prosperuk.com

I hate to disrespect the Slow Horses but Reform UK is basically becoming Slough House for failed Tories.

Labour will go left and lose those people whose lukewarm vote was for something else. My piece for ConHome on the opportunity this creates for the Conservatives. conservativehome.com/2026/02/16/d...

This should serve as a warning to all those still agitating to depose Keir Starmer and/or drag the Government to the left from the sanest of Tories (if he still is a Tory?).

Labour will go left and lose those people whose lukewarm vote was for something else. My piece for ConHome on the opportunity this creates for the Conservatives. conservativehome.com/2026/02/16/d...

We are reaching well beyond the usual political base, including people who have never voted Conservative or who have not voted Conservative in recent years. People from different backgrounds & voting histories are coming together around growth, enterprise, jobs & opportunity. Sign up ProsperUK.com

If we want strong public services, rising living standards and opportunity, we need a thriving private sector. That’s why we’re going out to meet businesses, listen to their experiences, and develop practical policy proposals directly based on what we hear. Sign up today: Prosperuk.com

Our new polling with More in Common exposes a simple problem in British politics. Voters want growth, jobs and rising living standards. But they don’t think politicians are focused on any of them.

81% of people who last voted Conservative in 2010 or 2015 say politicians aren’t talking enough about skills Prosper UK will be speaking with businesses and communities across all four corners of the UK to help shape a credible centre-right policies on skills and work Join us today: prosperuk.com

Growth is the key to tackling so many of the pressures we face as a country. That’s why this conversation can’t stay in Westminster. We need to be out across the country, listening to people and businesses, and focused on growth that actually raises living standards. Sign up today: prosperuk.com

75% of centre and centre-right voters say politicians aren’t talking enough about growth, skills or jobs. Prosper UK exists to take the conversation beyond Westminster - listening to people and businesses and developing practical policy ideas to raise living standards. Join us today prosperuk.com

There are millions of people across the country who want the same basic things from politics. So we’re going out across the country - listening to voters, working with businesses and communities, and putting forward serious, credible ideas to help the UK prosper. Join us today: prosperuk.com

Ignoring the 7 million politically homeless voters in the UK isn’t an option. Here’s what Rory Stewart had to say on the Rest Is Politics Sign up: prosperuk.com

My piece for ConHome on why so many of the criticisms of Prosper UK miss the mark. conservativehome.com/2026/02/02/d...

There is a clear centre right space in British politics focused on growth, competence and responsible government. Prosper UK will be out across the country, listening to voters and businesses. Sign up: prosperuk.com

We’re focused on the economy because growth is essential to fixing living standards and restoring confidence. Next, we’ll be travelling the country - engaging with businesses, communities and experts - and turning what we hear into serious, credible policy ideas. Sign up now : prosperuk.com

Delighted that @prosperuk.bsky.social is now here. Well worth a follow.

My piece for ConHome on why so many of the criticisms of Prosper UK miss the mark. conservativehome.com/2026/02/02/d...

Sign up to Prosper UK here. prosperuk.com/sign-up/

Nothing personal against Suella Braverman (& I’m glad CCHQ withdrew their earlier press release) but her defection from the Conservatives will make it easier for the Tories to win back many of the 7m centre/centre right voters who feel politically homeless #ProsperUK.

Prosper UK has launched today. It is a new centre right movement in British politics. To find out more and to sign up as a supporter, go to prosperuk.com/sign-up/

This is a very exciting initiative. www.thetimes.com/uk/politics/...

"Certainly, at times, Jenrick’s language went further than anything Nigel Farage has said (at least, since he left school)." 👏😂 David Gauke