Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries last night criticised her successor after sources claimed reform to the UK’s gambling industry is being delayed for a fifth time.

Michelle Donelan this week refused to commit to publishing a White Paper on betting laws before Christmas, telling colleagues it ‘needs a lot of work’.

But Mrs Dorries, who oversaw the review until last month, said: ‘The reforms have already been through Cabinet sign-off prior to the new PM taking office. I have no idea what the delay can possibly be. They need to crack on with this stuff.’

The changes to gambling laws, first planned for publication in mid-2021, have already been delayed four times.