CAMPAIGNING MP Graham Jones has urged the government to back down over the timing of its crackdown on fixed-odds gambling machines before a rebellion of Tory MPs forces it to do so.

He spoke out after senior Tories Iain Duncan Smith, David Davis and Justine Greening backed a Westminster move calling on the government to bring forward its promise to cut the maximum stake from £100 to £2 to April next year.

They are unhappy Chancellor Philip Hammond moved the deadline for the change to Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) to October 2019 in his Budget statement.

Following his delay sports minister Tracey Crouch resigning in protest.

Now more than 20 Conservative and four Democratic Unionist MPs have joined opposition politicians in signing an amendment to the Finance Bill enacting the Budget which would return the change back to the original April date.

The clause will be voted on next week.

Mr Jones, who has for several years campaigned on the issue of cutting the maximum individual wager on FOBTs said: "I welcome Conservative and DUP MPs joining the campaign to cut the stakes on these machines.

"The government should back down as soon as possible

"They will have to give in before the vote because they will lose it."

Mr Jones has previously described FOBTS as 'the crack cocaine of gambling'.