An under-informed London media is allowing the province to be cruelly misrepresented. Ulster voices are the only antidote.
The manifesto makes collapsing devolution far less tempting for Sinn Fein and could give unionists the confidence and breathing space to reform.
The Government has heard the message, and is dropping the mayoral requirement for rural counties seeking increased devolved power.
Instead the Party talks about “consolidation”, but is that just a sign that the reforms have no champion left in Number 10?
Conservatives in Scotland and Wales should make it their mission to break the stifling consensus in Cardiff and Edinburgh – and embrace cross-border comparisons.
Those looking to find what she really stands for may one day get an answer. But the point for the here and now is: she seeks to dominate the mainstream.
A look back at 1997 shows how transient landslides can be. City devolution gives Tories the chance to bed themselves in properly in new parts of the political map.
One place where there is unlikely to be any dithering is the West Midlands. The prospect of someone like Andy Street becoming mayor is hugely exciting.
The general election may have put the latest crisis on hold, but the dominance of Stormont’s ‘big two’ will keep causing problems.
It has also contradicted its stance that “laws which impact the people of Wales should be made in Wales”.
Also: Brokenshire sets Good Friday deadline for talks as UUP elect new leader; and Welsh Tories regain second place as Reckless ‘re-rats’ from UKIP.
Also: why the Prime Minister is playing for time on a second Scottish independence referendum; and veteran Welsh MP says her support for devolution ‘a mistake’.
“It is extremely disappointing that an Executive has not been formed in Northern Ireland today. There will be widespread dismay across the community.”
The seat of our national politics is deeply unfashionable in constitutional circles, but is essential to a well-governed and united kingdom.
I was instrumental this year in getting the gay pardon legislation extended to Northern Ireland. Significantly, this was accomplished with the assent of the DUP.