John O’Connell: Presiding over the biggest tax burden in 70 years is surely a legacy Johnson must be keen to avoid

In one of an occasional series we are running in advance of the Budget, some radical suggestions for kickstarting the British economy.

Iain Dale: Johnson can say all the right words. But not in a way that people relate to, as Blair and Cameron could.

Plus: Sturgeon is ridiculous to criticise the PM’s trip to Scotland. And: Now’s not the time for a Coronavirus inquiry.

More fence-sitting from Starmer as Labour MPs challenge deportation flight

As nearly 70 of the party’s MPs successfully campaigned to remove 30 criminals from a flight, their leader has gone quiet. Again.

WATCH: This is “not the right time at all” for a Scottish independence referendum – Brown’s verdict

“There’s got to be a time to heal before you go into any divisive, conflicting referendum.”

Michael Dugher: Covid-19 is a lesson in the three Rs for the government

While it’s important to focus on the ‘R’ rate in tackling covid, we must also balance health concerns against two other Rs – recovery versus recession.

Phil Taylor: Labour’s Austerity 1) How Brown’s Government planned £94 billion of cuts

As the tenth anniversary of the 2010 election approaches, the author says that Labour’s own austerity record and plans were almost as tough as the Coalition’s.

David Gauke: A traditional southern Conservative supporter ponders how best to vote

Economic competence has been the cornerstone of the Conservative appeal. Remove that cornerstone and the entire structure becomes fragile.

From Reggie to Rory Sahib: Here at Westminster, you can smell the fear and ambition

Of course, many of the sacked ministers – Fallon, Mitchell, Shapps and a dozen others are hoping for preferment under a Boris administration.

Anthony Browne: Policy Gains from Brexit 5) Making regional development more effective

The then EU Budget Commissioner told me that giving control of this funding to national governments would make it subject to “democratic whim”.

Mark Francois: The voluntary party must now save us from ourselves

I welcome the suggestion that local Associations should follow the lead that the National Convention took last weekend.

The first department to need boosting post-March. The Treasury? Business? Transport? No: Northern Ireland.

The challenge to “our precious union” will be as much constitutional as economic – Deal, No Brexit…or No Deal especially.

Where’s Ed Miliband?

Just asking.

Chris Ham: A tax rise to better fund the NHS is gaining Conservative support

At the same time as putting in more money, there must be a credible plan to spend it effectively – including improvements to how care is delivered.

Which taxes should Tories cut? 1) Sam Dumitriu: No virtue-signalling giveaways, hammer taxes that hold back growth

After our recent series asked ‘What should Tories tax?’, the Adam Smith Institute’s Head of Research kicks off a new mini-series seeking routes to lower taxes.

Nola Leach: Hammond should help reduce a burden on taxpayers by boosting transferable allowances

Ignoring the family unit means pressures on benefits – and burdening some poorer families with the highest effective marginal tax rate in the developed world.