A ‘small state’ approach must be carefully handled during a cost-of-living crisis

Editorial: The prime minister’s new chief of staff, Steve Barclay, has said it is now a ‘priority to restore a smaller state’ – or, in other words, to return to traditional conservative values

There was no doubt that Downing Street was in need of a ‘reset’ (PA Wire)

After a period of toing and froing within Downing Street, we seem to be entering the next phase of Boris Johnson’s “reset” of his premiership.

This week he will be heading on a mini-tour of the UK, designed to show that the prime minister and his party care more about the country than internal power struggles (with the added bonus of also helping to move away from the machinations of the Metropolitan Police investigation into Partygate).

Ahead of the trip, Mr Johnson – who will also, no doubt, be keeping a close eye on developments in Ukraine – said: “I’m getting out of London this week and taking a simple message with me – this government is getting on with the job of uniting and levelling up the country.”