Considering the number of scandals, u-turns and general foot-in-mouth moments at which the man favourite to become our next PM has been at the centre, it’s probably water off a Boris’ back to expose his nanny state credentials.

But, as a general warning that it’s best to take with a large pinch of salt whatever is written in the papers in this election debate (even more so than usual) here is a reminder anyway.

It’s been reported Johnson could, among his many promises on tax, take the hatchet to the government’s sugar levy if he makes it to no 10. The Times has suggested it could put him on collision course with health secretary Matt Hancock, who allegedly has plans to extend the tax to cover milkshakes.

As someone who was once on collision course with Boris – he nearly knocked me down while he was riding his bike along the pavement in Blackfriars – it’s my duty to have to report that not all is what it seems with the story.

BoJo’s stand against the nanny state was hailed by The Sun, which claimed it as a victory for its Hands off our Grub campaign, and said it could mean the end for the sugar tax, which has seen fizzy drink prices hiked by as much as 10%.

“The Sun’s campaign has been right on the money and it’s time to take a proper look at the continuing creep of the nanny state and the impact it has on hard-working families across Britain,” Johnson told the paper.

“Once we leave the EU on 31 October, we will have a historic opportunity to change the way politics is done in this country. A good way to start would be basing tax policy on clear evidence.”

Presumably Johnson has forgotten the time when, as Mayor of London, his advisers were among those most eagerly pestering ministers to bring in a tax on sugary drinks.

His food ambassador Rosie Boycott, herself no stranger to making the headlines of course, claimed that a tax on fizzy drinks could be used to fund free meals for every school child, and prevent obesity “swamping the NHS”.

Maybe it’s best not to look to scrutinise promises for extra funding, given Johnson’s track record on that. It’s dubious whether he remembers too much about his food team’s stance anyway, given the hilarious interview he once gave to LBC presenter Nick Ferrari about his appointment of ambassadors, which included the likes of Annie Lennox, Emma Thompson and Dame Barbara Windsor, in which he clearly remembered virtually nothing about what they actually did.

But just to remind Johnson, Boycott was among those who claimed the sugar tax would reduce the cases of diabetes by over 6,300, prevent more than 1,100 cases of cancer and reduce strokes and cases of coronary heart disease by over 4,300.

In 2016, Boris went a step further, announcing a levy for City Hall that added 10p charge on all added-sugar soft drinks sold in its cafe.

He said at the time: “Tackling obesity is one of the biggest health challenges of our generation and I hope this initiative will allow us to ‎raise awareness of the problem and encourage people to think about their diets.”

As for the milkshake tax story, this is also a load of old froth. While it’s true that milk drinks were excluded from the sugar levy, after opposition from the industry and anti-nanny state campaigners, the government has always said it would review their exemption in 2020 if manufacturers haven’t been shown to make them healthier.

While the sugar reduction scheme is so far behind it might be asking for a miracle for any “clear evidence” on which to base health policies, it’s worth remembering that it was Jeremy Hunt, the man who hopes to block Johnson’s path to Downing Street, who as health secretary brought in the sugar tax and the rest of Theresa May’s obesity plan in 2016.

Some sources claim at the time he lost a battle with the Treasury, which saw much further-reaching plans, such as a ban on supermarket junk food promotions, watered down.

Interesting then, that one of the first new jobs for the next PM is that very promotions ban – one with repercussions that make the milkshake tax look like a walk in the park.

And the health secretary bringing it in? A certain Matt Hancock, a man who has himself attacked the nanny state. As with so much in political events recently, you couldn’t make it up – unless, of course, you do. 

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