Challenge to Authority makes waves in Westminster

There is seemingly no shortage of topics that the Labour Party can use to lambast prime minister Theresa May at the moment, so why should horseracing be an exception?

Last week's joint Lords and Commons committee meeting which sat to consider the government's second stage of levy reforms – and which turned into something of a horror show for new sports minister Mims Davies and the civil servants who accompanied her – provided the opposition with yet more ammunition.

"Govt just been defeated on major changes to horse racing betting levy order in joint regulatory reform committee," the Labour Whips account tweeted. "Minister & civil servants were unable to make a coherent argument for the legislation. No Tory voted in support. Theresa May is clinging to office but not in power."