Rejoice! At long last, the day-to-day Government finances are in surplus.

It’s later than Osborne planned, but good news nonetheless. Now Hammond must hold the course, and resist siren calls to start splashing the cash.

Albie Amankona: We need a real National Health Service – to make healthy living easy and unhealthy living difficult.

There needs to be a paradigm shift in policy and culture. Our state should work to keep us healthy and allow us as individuals to be responsible for our actions.

David Willetts: The tuition fee system makes sense. The challenge now is to make it acceptable.

In his second piece on Higher Education, the former Universities Minister looks at how they might be tweaked – and why the alternatives are reactionary, expensive or both.

WATCH: “Crime is at record low levels”…”crime is up” – May and Corbyn clash over law and order

“This is a Government that is actually protecting police budgets,” the Prime Minister insisted, while the Labour leader alleged the opposite.

David Willetts: Less money for universities and more for training. This view is simple, seductive – and wrong. Here’s why.

In the first of two pieces on Higher Education, the former Universities Minister argues that the conventional account of how fees and funding works is mistaken.

Robert Halfon: Give the people a referendum every decade on how much to increase NHS spending

Underpinned by a guarantee of a real-terms increase at minimum, this would help to draw the poison from the issue – particular for Conservatives.

More money for the NHS? Don’t forget another big spending pressure point. More money for defence.

Brexit has transformed the context in which we plan our security. Commitments to our European neighbours and Global Britain require more money.

Owen Paterson: Why are we so insular, unimaginative and inward-looking about healthcare? Europe’s systems are better than the NHS.

In a whole host of countries – Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, Portugal, Switzerland – A&E waiting times are typically under an hour.

Williamson on manoeuvres

The new Defence Secretary’s rawness may make him more likely to dig in against the Treasury than otherwise – precisely because he has a point to prove.

Hammond’s economicky survivorish escapy Budget

The lack of a Conservative Commons majority prevented the Chancellor from doing much more than playing it safe – which he did effectively.

Steve Barclay: A balanced Budget which ensures that Britain is fit for the future

It continues to clear the deficit, prepare for Brexit, and back our businesses with the support they need to boost productivity.

George Freeman: We need a new Chairman and team at CCHQ to lead a radical programme of Conservative renewal

Let’s have Policy Board outside of the constraints of the Government machine – and a commission on what Britain should look like post-Brexit.

A Mañana Budget?

Given the resistance of Tory MPs to spending cuts and tax rises, Hammond’s easiest course would be to push any into the future. But this wouldn’t be problem-free…

Spreadsheet Phil must become Storyteller Phil – if his Budget is to succeed where the Tory conference failed

The Chancellor needs to help deliver the sense of direction so strikingly absent in Manchester last month, and indeed since last June’s election.

Ideas for the Budget 5) James Kirkup: Ditch the surplus target. Build new towns. Raise inheritance taxes and boost universal credit.

The Social Market Foundation isn’t tied to any party. We’re centrists – our advice and ideas on offer to anyone who wants to put common sense ahead of ideology.