"I'd offer you a beer but I've only got six cans." Happy birthday to James Bolam, deliverer of one of my favourite lines of all time. Written by Ian La Frenais. 🍻

Al Carns gets it!

In Aberdeen South by-election there is a chance to back British oil and have a positive future for the North Sea oil and gas industry. Only @DLumsden_MSP, @ScotTories can beat the SNP and stand up for local oil and gas jobs. whatlaboursaid.com/back-brit…

Having worked for @BobBlackman for 5 years now, we have stood with residents so strongly against this overdevelopment of Edgware. We've petitioned. We've protested. We've listened. 29 tower blocks, over 20 storeys high would turn Edgware into Canary Wharf! It is shameful on the Mayor of London and the Labour government to refuse to call this in and side with tens of thousands of local residents. We must keep going! @SaveOurEdgware saveouredgware.co.uk

What if, and bear with me, Conservatives are the senior member of a right wing deal to govern?

🚗 I’ve heard from so many people - especially young people and parents - across the Borders about the problems they are facing in getting a driving test. In rural communities, driving is often the only option. Not being able to get a driving test is causing huge problems. The UK Labour Government promised to cut driving test waiting times to seven weeks, but new data shows they have increased by four weeks since it took office. The average waiting time for a practical driving test was 21.8 weeks in May. That is simply not acceptable. I will keep pushing the Government to do much more to reduce driving test waiting times. People in the Borders need to be able to drive, and they should not have to wait almost six months just to sit a test.

In just two weeks, Labour's steel tariffs will kick in and put thousands of jobs at risk. Tempest, AUKUS subs, drones, and even F1 are being hit with 50% tariffs. Companies are telling me they are facing oblivion and will cut or offshore jobs if ministers don't act now 👇 The core problem is that the Government is doubling tariffs and slashing quotas on: - Types of steel not even made here in the UK currently - Steel coming from our allies in Europe and NATO Read that again. This not about China. The tariffs apply to our allies and are an invitation for them to retaliate with tariffs on British goods. This cannot be fixed by buying British - because the supply doesn't exist. Instead, it will mean fewer things made here. If the steel you now import isn't made in the UK, you can't switch suppliers. You are forced to pay a huge tariff to keep going. Many small manufacturers can't afford that and will cut jobs or shut down. Buying steel to make something in Britain? 50% tariffs. Make it somewhere else? Lower or no tariffs. In many cases it's that simple. There are two specific categories of steel included in these tariffs which simply aren't produced in the UK. It would take years to ramp up production, if it's possible at all. By then, jobs will have moved abroad. Even if you could simply switch suppliers, aerospace and defence are highly technical areas that require certifications and approvals across the supply chain. Getting those can, again, take years. It's clear ministers have no idea what they are doing here. I don't want to believe they are actually trying to kill British manufacturing, but that will be what happens. There are just two weeks left to fix this before tariffs kick in. I am already hearing jobs may be cut, British companies may go bust, and future jobs will be moved to France or Italy. Ministers claim to be aware of the problem, but they haven't put forward a real solution. The first step must be to immediately exempt categories 14 and 27 from the tariffs. Right now. If the Government don't act now, this could do enormous damage. The clock is ticking. Conservatives will never stand by and watch the deindustrialisation of Britain. We back those who make things and we have plans to cut their energy costs, scrap net zero, and get Britain working again.

Read more 👇 independent.co.uk/news/uk/po…

Wes Streeting will announce plans to rip up planning laws and overturn Ed Miliband’s ban on new fossil fuel production in a bold speech to set out his agenda if he becomes prime minister. Mr Streeting will make it clear that he will remove the ability of local communities to object to controversial energy and big tech projects and allow new drilling for oil and gas in the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields in the North Sea. #CostOfNetZero

Deeply disappointed the Government has refused to call in the Ballymore Edgware development for a public inquiry. Up to 25 towers, some 29 storeys, built over an underground garage for 190 electric buses, with the London Fire Brigade warning of serious fire risks.

Don’t repeat the mistake made in May where @ScotTories narrowly missed out on two seats to @theSNP in the north east. Only @DLumsden_MSP can win this seat from @theSNP. A vote for Labour, Lib Dem, Reform etc is a vote for @theSNP.

Enjoying life in Bournemouth, in the 1960s.

We need to close down Natural England. The people running it have gone mad.

This is total madness from another unaccountable quango. The government must overrule Natural England and stop it immediately. Keir Starmer is on his way to making his last acts in office the shameful underfunding of our military and the mass slaughter of Dartmoor ponies.

Unthinkably stupid for a Labour MP to intentionally resurrect the highly divisive “assisted dying” bill. 🥀 This will cause further rifts within the party…and trample over the clear will of major disability groups. 👇

I’m pleased to have been elected as Deputy Chairman (Membership) of Lichfield Conservative Association this evening. I’m looking forward to working hard for my new home, supporting our local communities, and helping strengthen the Conservatives across Lichfield.

Delighted and honoured to have been elected chairman of Dudley Conservative Party

Join the fight to save our oil and gas industry 👉 backbritishoil.com

Letter in the Times...

NEW: Another win for Rolls-Royce in nuclear land. Sweden has chosen the British company's small modular reactor (SMR) design for its new nuclear power programme. Champagne corks will be popping in Derby tonight... (link in tweet below)