TRACEY Crouch has resigned as the UK’s Sports and Civil Society Minister amid a row over delays to cut the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).
Crouch is unhappy the cap on FOBTs bets being reduced from £100 to £2 will not come in to effect until October 2019.
The MP tweeted: “It is with great sadness I have resigned from one of the best jobs in Government. Thank you so much for all the very kind messages of support I have received throughout the day. Politicians come and go but principles stay with us forever.”
The move came after the Government made it clear it was standing firm when Chief Secretary to the Treasury Liz Truss failed to give ground during the Budget debate in the Commons.
Truss told MPs that the Government is “certainly happy to discuss” the matter, but gave no indication of a change of policy.
Crouch has been a leading campaigner in the movement to reduce maximum stakes for FOBTs. Former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith joined cross-party calls to bring the change forward to April 2019.
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