Sometimes politicians obfuscate. Mostly, what seems like a straightforward question, going right to the heart of the matter, is countered with a prepared line, parroted out with little regard for whether it actually answers the query. Nothing new there.

Not so for Michael Gove when he appeared in front of Clive Betts' levelling up select committee earlier this week. When asked whether the Government's flagship levelling up ambitions could be achieved without fiscal devolution, he was clear. ‘No.'