Crouch has ‘no regrets’ over quitting

Tracey Crouch has insisted she has “no regrets” about quitting the Government in protest over stalled gambling reforms.

The Conservative MP heaped fresh pressure on Prime Minister Theresa May when she resigned as sports minister after being angered by a delay in the introduction of a cut to the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

Ms Crouch’s action drew applause from across the political spectrum and won the praise of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby.

She told reporters: “I have absolutely no regrets about my decision whatsoever.

“I’m perfectly comfortable with my decision.”

Asked if she had full confidence in Mrs May, she replied: “The Prime Minister has an absolutely important job to do in order to deliver on Brexit and I look forward to being a supportive member of her backbenches.”

The Chatham and Aylesford MP resigned from her min- isterial post after insisting that not cutting the maximum wager on FOBTs from £100 to £2 until October 2019 was “unjustifiable”, and indicated it could cost lives.

The move appeared to energise support for bringing in a bet limit earlier, with talk of Mrs May facing a potential rebel amendment to the Finance Bill later this month.

International Development Secretary Penny Mordaunt and Commons Leader Andrea Leadsom spoke warmly about Ms Crouch after she quit.

PICTURE: JOE GIDDENS The Duchess of Cornwall visits Commonwealth War Graves in Accra, Ghana, on day three of the royal couple’s trip to west Africa