The government is facing significant pressure from Conservative MPs over its decision to delay implementing a planned reduction in the maximum stake on fixed-odds betting terminals, as speculation grows that the minister who led the policy could resign in protest.
Tracey Crouch, a junior culture minister who spearheaded efforts that led to an announcement in May that the maximum stake on FOBTs would be cut from £100 to £2, was missing from ministerial questions on Thursday morning.
Jeremy Wright, the culture secretary, said in response to a question from the Labour MP Kevin Brennan that Crouch had just returned from a ministerial trip to the US.
“It seemd to me unwise to rely on public transport or London traffic to be sure of her being here, so we made arrangements for me to answer questions,” Wright said.
There had been reports that Crouch was meeting the chief whip to discuss her future, following an article in the Telegraph saying she could resign.
Wright faced renewed criticism from the shadow culture secretary, Tom Watson, who was granted an urgent question to ask why a “verbal promise” to make the change in April 2019 was amended in the budget to October next year.
This was “a betrayal of the promise made by his two predecessors”, Watson told Wright, asking if Crouch had resigned.
“In capitulating to the gambling industry, the secretary of state has not just let the victims of gambling down, he’s let his own team down, and ultimately, he’s let himself down,” Watson said.
If you needed evidence of that fact just look how little both Britain and America are willing to do with Saudi Arabia, even though they are now an effectively proven rouge state.
They will talk about morals and forget them equally quickly when cash is involved.
If you needed evidence of that fact just look how little both Britain and America are willing to do with Saudi Arabia, even though they are now an effectively proven rouge state.They will talk about morals and forget them equally quickly when cash is
If selling weapons and encouraging enterprise to be as opportunistic as possible wasnt enough we now try and hide when our 'allies' who buy our stuff kill with impunity.
If selling weapons and encouraging enterprise to be as opportunistic as possible wasnt enough we now try and hide when our 'allies' who buy our stuff kill with impunity.
@claction -- Hammond wanted a few more pounds before they stopped it. All about money.
Hammond wants to avoid thousands of job losses in April, ie just after 29 March, ie just after Brexit.
@claction -- Hammond wanted a few more pounds before they stopped it. All about money.Hammond wants to avoid thousands of job losses in April, ie just after 29 March, ie just after Brexit.
Employees know/knew for a long time about the changes and have been planning or have found alternative employment, so the extension doesn't make sense.
Employees know/knew for a long time about the changes and have been planning or have found alternative employment, so the extension doesn't make sense.
Look how quickly Saudi Arabia disappeared out the news
They weren't interested in starting a war or oil barrage
God knows what that story was used for but I'm sure we'll find out somewhere down the line
Look how quickly Saudi Arabia disappeared out the news They weren't interested in starting a war or oil barrage God knows what that story was used for but I'm sure we'll find out somewhere down the line
I mean we've just learned Turkey have said it was a hit job and CNN who were giving it wall to wall coverage for almost 2 weeks drop it quicker than a ferrari, back to Donald Trump
Isn't that fishy? I mean they finally get the answer they were craving for weeks (that they did do it) and poof off it goes into media wilderness
amazing stuff!
I mean we've just learned Turkey have said it was a hit job and CNN who were giving it wall to wall coverage for almost 2 weeks drop it quicker than a ferrari, back to Donald Trump Isn't that fishy? I mean they finally get the answer they were cravin
The change has been brought forwards by 6 months, not postponed by 6 months. A remarkable number of people , including some respected chit chatters, have fallen for the lie, because it was in the Guardian and some soft bint who has admitted she had 'one of the best jobs in government' has quit.
.https://velvetgloveironfist.blogspot.com/2018/11/a-final-trick-from-anti-fobt-spivs.htmlThe change has been brought forwards by 6 months, not postponed by 6 months.A remarkable number of people , including some respected chit chatters, have fallen
no, it was widely expected and agreed after discussions in the commons back in May that it would be April next year, not April 2020 or October 2020. It has been postponed.
no, it was widely expected and agreed after discussions in the commons back in May that it would be April next year, not April 2020 or October 2020. It has been postponed.
accoridng to my sources, they changed this a month later to April 2020 and obviously many never had a clue including Crouch, no wonder the confusion, either way there is no other need besides finanaical to drag it out til October next year, they obviously don't care about people's lives, it's literally a killer for many and a year is a long time, 6 more months is plenty, plenty of time for people to have found a new job and plenty of time for the stakes to be reduced, treasury has just done a backhanded deal with bookmakers.
accoridng to my sources, they changed this a month later to April 2020 and obviously many never had a clue including Crouch, no wonder the confusion, either way there is no other need besides finanaical to drag it out til October next year, they obvi
Sooner they bring in the New limits the better ! Then the high street bookies will have to start taking a bet again. Maybe someone should tell Tracey Crouch the easiest way to be stopped from gambling is fxxking winning
Sooner they bring in the New limits the better ! Then the high street bookies will have to start taking a bet again. Maybe someone should tell Tracey Crouch the easiest way to be stopped from gambling is fxxking winning
Ufcdan, totally disagree..what about those of us that actually make money off them...clue is to not get greedy..40 to win 20. Move to next bookies and do likewise..just play the 2/1...
Why should I suffer for the minoritory that can't look after themselves let alone money...
Typical of this shathole of a country, look after the minority
Ufcdan, totally disagree..what about those of us that actually make money off them...clue is to not get greedy..40 to win 20. Move to next bookies and do likewise..just play the 2/1...Why should I suffer for the minoritory that can't look after thems
We would all like to see policies that help people beat addiction - and the ones that seem to work best are the addict themselves realising that they have a problem, a loved one sorting the addict out or an intervention from a community group that genuinely cares about the addict.
There's a case for information as well - telling you that on average you will lose 3% of your money per spin is good information. Telling you ( in my case - thanks betfair! ) that in a certain period I lost 3k certainly helps you reflect. Getting a bookie to have a word with you after half an hour's play is helpful.
Tracy Crouch for all her good intentions seems to think that government effectively banning things can help an addict, when all the logicians say that the regulations she wants will simply move the addict into a different environment and not help them at all. It didn't work for alcohol, or khat, or spice, and only shifts the problem onto others. And the consequence of her desire to have more nanny state government will be a loss of freedom for all those who do not have a problem.
Feck off Tracy and don't come back.
We would all like to see policies that help people beat addiction - and the ones that seem to work best are the addict themselves realising that they have a problem, a loved one sorting the addict out or an intervention from a community group that ge
Ufcdan, totally disagree..what about those of us that actually make money off them...clue is to not get greedy..40 to win 20. Move to next bookies and do likewise..just play the 2/1...
Why should I suffer for the minoritory that can't look after themselves let alone money...
Typical of this shathole of a country, look after the minority
Sorry twonky what are you talking about ? I wouldn't touch on of those machines as long as I have a hole in my ar$e. I'm talking about a grand on a football match, a monkey on a horse. All bets you could of had before these proxy machines made their entrance. See if you can get a hundred quid on anything these days without it first being rung up
Ufcdan, totally disagree..what about those of us that actually make money off them...clue is to not get greedy..40 to win 20. Move to next bookies and do likewise..just play the 2/1...Why should I suffer for the minoritory that can't look after thems
Shops with fobts should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to the maximum liability per spin on the fobt. Online bookmakers who have casinos should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to the maximum liability per spin on the online casino.
Shops with fobts should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to the maximum liability per spin on the fobt.Online bookmakers who have casinos should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to
Shops with fobt should never be allowed on the high street as it is so addictive and problematic to society and families concerned. Fobt should only be in casinos, period. It should never have been allowed in thro' the backdoor like it has done with the bookies - bookies are a definite no-no.
The Labour Party under the stewardship of Tony Blair (Weapons Of Mass Destruction) were responsible for its proliferation in Britain especially on high streets of depraved areas in England.
Shops with fobt should never be allowed on the high street as it is so addictive and problematic to society and families concerned. Fobt should only be in casinos, period. It should never have been allowed in thro' the backdoor like it has done with
Nebs Shops with fobts should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to the maximum liability per spin on the fobt.
TBF Nebs they will when it's reduced to £2.
Nebs Shops with fobts should be obliged to take bets from anyone, with a maximum liability equal to the maximum liability per spin on the fobt.TBF Nebs they will when it's reduced to £2.
100% correct Study.The gambling commision is just an artificial bunch of "Nobodies" whose existance is there for one reason and one reason only...It makes the government appear concerned about the plight of problem gamblers.So concerned are they,due to pressures from the gambling lobby, the reductions in the max stake for the FOBTS has been shunted back until October.A shameful and hypocritical decision.
100% correct Study.The gambling commision is just an artificial bunch of "Nobodies" whose existance is there for one reason and one reason only...It makes the government appear concerned about the plight of problem gamblers.So concerned are they,due
Part of the problem is a complete lack of understanding of gambling by the government, most MPs, the Gambling Commission and the press. All of them always believe everything they're told by the marketing and press departments of the biggest bookies. At the expense of the small bookies, the public, the betting shop and casino staff, and the tax revenue (despite their pleadings and claims).
Part of the problem is a complete lack of understanding of gambling by the government, most MPs, the Gambling Commission and the press.All of them always believe everything they're told by the marketing and press departments of the biggest bookies.At