Can the prime minister's words be trusted when it comes to affordability checks?

It may not have escaped readers' attention that the accuracy of some of prime minister Boris Johnson's public comments have been the subject of heated debate in recent days.

Over the coming weeks and months it will become clear whether Johnson can be taken at his word as far as another comment is concerned when it comes to the ongoing gambling review.

The comment in question was made in a joint article written by the prime minister and chancellor Rishi Sunak in last weekend's Sunday Times in which they promised to carry on with a hike in national insurance to help pay for the government's post-Covid recovery plan.