The Spring Statement was destined for obscurity before the Chancellor took to his feet

Even if the headlines weren’t hogged by the ongoing Brexit votes, what could the Chancellor really announce?

WATCH: Hammond says last night’s vote has cast a ‘cloud of uncertainty’ over the economy

But he lists the good news and claims that it has “defied expectations and will provide the solid foundation that Britain needs to seize the opportunities of the future.”

Alex Morton: Scrapping coins and squeezing cash would be an assault on our own voters

The Treasury should be saved from itself by bringing the Party Chairman in to scrutinise the Autumn Budget before it is finalised.

Hammond’s seriousness, professionalism and – yes – dullness make Labour look lightweight

It is not that he dares to be dull, but that he cannot help being so. He has prudently turned it to his advantage.

Robert Halfon: Apprenticeship funding is good, but the Chancellor should do more to back skills as a tool of social justice

We must rebalance Further and Higher Education, and ensure that those with most to gain from up-skilling actually get the opportunity to do so.

WATCH: “Light at the end of the tunnel” – Hammond’s Spring Statement in full

The Chancellor dismisses the Opposition as “Eeyores” while declaring himself “positively tigger-like” about the prospects for the economy.

Round-up of reaction to the Spring Statement

How have think-tanks, business organisations and campaign groups responded to the Chancellor’s fiscal and economic news?

The Moggcast. “Russia is a rogue state”, and we should use “a Magnitsky-style law” to “target people close to the Kremlin”

Why he believes Brexit will make life harder for Putin. Plus: Can Hammond hold course in today’s Spring Statement? And how does faith fit into public life?

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.

Nicky Morgan: It’s too soon to abandon fiscal discipline, but the Spring Statement is a chance to communicate our vision

Day-to-day spending being brought back into balance is good news, and it makes some spending decisions easier, but beware hype about the ‘end of austerity’.