Sunak opts to suck it and see

The OBR’s horrid forecasts of an output implosion and soaring unemployment will do nothing to quell Tory resistance to tougher Covid tiers.

Stephen Booth: Agreeing to disagree on the trickiest parts of the UK-EU deal may be the best way forward. For now.

Creating temporary arrangements around fishing and other areas may not be ideal, but it is a better option than the prospect of no deal.

Caroline Johnson: Tiers are a tough but necessary step for the country. We must hold our nerve over winter.

With the Government securing 350 million doses of vaccines, and community testing in development, we are starting to win the war against Covid-19.

There is more at stake in any push to cut the 0.7 per cent target than the future of aid policy

Resile from last year’s manifesto once and there’s no reason not to again. That has implications for tax policy – and much else.

Ryan Bourne: Calm down, stay cool – and drop this talk of tax rises. It’s too early to know how everything will settle down.

It’s baffling why think-tanks are taking the OBR assessments as truth, given its prediction record.

Liam Fox: Today, the Chancellor should aim to boost an unambiguously private sector-led recovery

Before pumping more funding into the public sector, we must restore the habit of making sure we have the money in the bank before we start spending it.

Daniel Hannan: It would be unfair to pupils in England to cancel exams next year

We could, if lost time really is the objection to 2021’s exams going ahead, shorten the Easter holidays and pay teachers a bonus for extra work.

Nothing to see here – move along? Covid, procurement, appointments and cronyism claims

It’s heads you lose, tails you lose for Ministers and civil servants. Nonetheless, the eventual inquiry must inevitably look at “lessons to be learned”.

Mak is co-Chair of the new Conservative Party Policy Board

O’Brien has arrived to find the MP for Havant already in place, who though not a former think tank head is no policy slouch.

Radical: This new inquiry into the Gender Recognition Act reform affects us all – and there are just days left to have your say

The Women and Equalities Committee has been been captured by the self-ID campaign. So others should make their voices heard.

John O’Connell: To ensure efficient government spending, we need a new Parliamentary Budget Committee

A dedicated body could focus on scrutinising the economy and effectiveness of future plans. Australia and New Zealand already have similar models.

Go for growth and cross your fingers

That’s the least bad course for the Chancellor to take on Wednesday. But it’s a gamble that could go horribly wrong.

Richard Holden: This week’s spending review must show voters in Red Wall seats like mine that they were right to trust us

It’s vital that on education, policing and infrastructure, as much clarity is given as possible to departments as possible in terms of long-term funding.

Raghib Ali: The three-tiered system was working and England didn’t need this lockdown

However, this data was not available when the decision was made to have a second shutdown. We should now work towards a more voluntary approach.

Priti Patel v The Thing

Sure, she’s in breach of the Ministerial Code – and so is every member of every Cabinet who has served since it was introduced.