For the Party to take it off him is one thing; for the Government to recast the committee, or try to, would be quite another.
The Chancellor is groping his way, knowing well that the future is unknowable, trying to hold on to as much of the past as he can.
When a government takes money out of it, it is creating unseen costs. Subsidising jobs is no more a route to growth than smashing windows.
Given the Coronavirus uncertainties, whatever he announces could be even more provisional than most schemes of most Chancellors.
The big picture is that Johnson is dashing for growth. We devoutly hope it works but the precedents aren’t promising.
Three cheers for three reforms: of the civil service, of Ministers and of one that this Government tends to avoid – of public services.
An election that saw them returned to say yes to Brexit and boosterism leaves Johnson vulnerable to events and reality.
After a decade of forward guidance, credit easing and quantitative easing, it was clear even before the Covid-19 crisis that monetary policy had run out of road.
It represents an emergency call to arms – not a permanent transition towards a command society.
One area that has had relatively little attention, but could get much more, is the behaviour of commercial landlords across the country.
As a member of his first Cabinet, I was tested in Northern Ireland – as elsewhere the new government reduced the defict and reformed public services.
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.
We will take part in this new programme – designed to ensure that infrastructure projects are delivered on time and within their allotted budget.