The wind of Biden’s change is blowing through Johnson’s Government

America’s result is having knock-on effects in Downing Street: see yesterday’s green speech and today’s defence news.

Garvan Walshe: Gloomy Sturgeon projects competence. The Government doesn’t – and the Union may be the price it pays.

The Scottish leader has always tried to temper expectations about the country’s fight with Covid. This could pay off in an independence referendum.

The Government is up against the clock to justify its next set of restrictions – as the Covid Recovery Group grows

Even if the Government ends lockdown on December 2, it will be under pressure to prove why some areas should be under a tiered system.

Neil O’Brien: The plans we must make now to ensure that our ship doesn’t hit the rocks

These are my starters for ten – so it’s over to you. What are the biggest choices? What are the problems that we have to get ahead of to keep afloat?

Liam Fox: How MPs can better hold Ministers to account over their handling of the Coronavirus

We need more information, transparency and scrutiny. A committee on the model of the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards is required.

Robert Halfon: This time round, let’s keep the schools open – and not risk an epidemic of education poverty

And if the Chief Medical Officer says that the situation is rapidly becoming much worse, and that urgent action is needed, who am I to argue?

Neil O’Brien: The virus and the lockdown. Let’s keep calm and carry on – there’s reason to believe that a vaccine is coming soon.

We need to start listening to the right people – not hopeless people who get it wrong time and again, but face zero accountability.

From Disraeli to Johnson, the Left has never understood the Right, and Fawcett shows us why

A magisterial survey of conservatism since the French Revolution brings home how various it is, and how impossible to reduce to an ideology.

Iain Dale: Stop this utter selfishness and pathetic whinging about not having a normal Christmas to look forward to

Plus: After the kidnapping of this Christian girl, we should cut off aid to Pakistan. And: Muslims must face up the fact that terror is claimed in their name.

Tobias Ellwood: The Government has helped to let Iran, a rogue state, off the leash. It’s time to rein it back in.

We should have supported an extension to the conventional arms embargo at the United Nations in August – and must back sanctions.

Garvan Walshe: Macron is running out of time in which to prevail against the far left, far right – and Islamist extremism

After the beheading of Samuel Paty, there are huge questions for the president as to how he can prevent such an atrocious crime again.

The EU trade talks. Whether there’s a deal or not, we will be out of transition soon. Ministers should be ready to make the most of it.

The Government should be mulling some quick Brexit wins come the New Year – ways of using freedoms that we don’t have during implementation.

Germany enters a critical stage – as Europe increasingly converges in its Covid-19 response

From curfews to alcohol bans, leaders across the continent are increasingly unified in their choice of measures.

Stephen Booth: As the Brexit deadline nears, the UK stands strong on fishing rights, but Frost hints at movement on state aid

All eyes will be on Emmanuel Macron this week, since France has been most prepared to play hardball.

Garvan Walshe: Strife in the Caucasus. How Armenia and Azerbaijan are pawns in a new great game between Russia and Turkey.

Tensions have been building for the best part of a year, serious skirmishes broke out in June – and America is nowhere to be seen.