toughened

These safeguards have been eased over time and are expected to be re-imposed or toughened further.

The law had in fact recently been toughened – by the very politicians who were now complaining about its application – to make the penalty for misuse of public funds very severe indeed.

Backing his chancellor on Monday, the prime minister told the BBC: "We've toughened up the rules in terms of declarations, and everything she has done is according to the rules. That's what I would expect."

The government has toughened up rules making it almost impossible for a refugee who arrives in the UK on a small boat to become a British citizen.

"To play that many games, that is what I wanted to go and do. It toughened me up a bit and it was vital for me."