Tracey Crouch resigns from government over gambling crackdown row

Theresa May hits back at Jeremy Corbyn over Labour's confusion on tax cuts

Tracey Crouch has resigned as the sports minister after the government refused to back down on the timetable for reducing the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

She had lobbied unsuccessfully for the change to be made earlier than the planned date of October 2019.

Betting industry groups had reportedly said they would be ready to implement the cut by next April, but the government confirmed in the Budget that the change would not be made until next October.

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."

In her resignation letter to Ms May, Ms Crouch said: "Unfortunately, implementation of these changes are now being delayed until October 2019 due to commitments made by others to those with registered interests.

"From the time of the announcement to reduce stakes and its implementation, over £1.6 billion will be lost on these machines.

"In addition, two people will tragically take their lives every day due to gambling-related problems and, for that reason as much as any other, I believe this delay is unjustifiable.

"I know there is never a good time to resign and appreciate that this will be an unwelcome distraction, but as the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport said in the House this morning, it is a fact of government that ministers must adhere to collective responsibility and cannot disagree with policy, let alone when it is policy made against your wishes relating to your own portfolio."

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[1 November 2018 11:53 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 12:27 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 12:59 · Ashley Cowburn]

Arron Banks has said he is "confident that a full and frank investigation will finally put an end to the ludicrous allegations levelled against me and my colleagues" after the Electoral Commission referred the Leave campaigner to the National Crime Agency. 

[1 November 2018 13:11 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 13:17 · Ashley Cowburn]

This is from the Press Association on a vote in the Commons on any final Brexit deal.

Britain may not have time to negotiate a new deal if MPs decide to amend any Brexit agreement, a senior minister has suggested.

Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom said the Government would “take action” on any amendments to the Brexit deal motion approved by MPs but added that it may not be possible for ministers to “proceed on the basis of an amended vote”.

Her remarks came after Conservative former cabinet minister Ken Clarke warned the Government against offering MPs the choice of deal or no deal.

SNP Commons leader Pete Wishart also claimed that Prime Minister Theresa May could, in Game Of Thrones style, be “consumed by the flames” of Brexit as he pushed for assurances over the “meaningful vote”.

Responding to this, Matthew Pennycook, a shadow Brexit minister, said: “Andrea Leadsom and other members of the Cabinet can’t ignore the fact that Parliament won the right to a truly meaningful vote on the final Brexit deal. 

“The idea that Ministers can simply ignore the will of Parliament and impose a choice between a bad deal and no deal would make a mockery of the phrase ‘take back control’.

[1 November 2018 13:35 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 13:45 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 13:58 · Ashley Cowburn]

[1 November 2018 14:22 · Benjamin Kentish]

Ed Miliband has called for a new programme of council house building and said the current housing crisis is the biggest failure of government in a generation.

Speaking in the Commons during the Budget debate, the former Labour leader said:

"If you're looking across the piece at policy failures of governments of both parties, this is the biggest single failure over the last generation.

"I'm proud of some of the things the last Labour government did but we didn't build enough homes and nor has this government built enough homes either."

He added: 

"The market won't provide sufficient housing at the scale and speed that is required ... there needs to be a very substantial role for government in building."

[1 November 2018 14:47 · Benjamin Kentish]

Reports suggest Tracey Crouch, the sports minister, has submitted her resignation in protest at reported delays to cutting the maximum stake that can be bet on fixed-odds betting terminals...