THE mum whose son’s gambling suicide led Tracey Crouch to quit as Sports Minister yesterday hailed the MP’s “heroic” stance.

Jack Ritchie, 24, leapt to his death after getting hooked on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

Tory Tracey quit after the Government delayed cutting the maximum stake on the machines from £100 to £2, warning it would cost lives.

We can reveal that Jack’s mum Liz, 62, met the minister to discuss addiction.

Liz said: “She’s brave and courageous, even heroic.”

Hubby Charles, 64, added: “Tracey has huge integrity. But we have lost an ally.”

Jack started on FOBTs aged 17 in Sheffield. He lost up to £6,000 a month, took out loans and blew his nan’s inheritance.

Last November he leapt to his death in Vietnam where he was teaching English.

Liz, Charles and other parents will launch the Gambling with Lives charity at the Commons on Tuesday.

They warn that up to 600 suicides a year are linked to gambling, and want an industry profits’ levy to help addicts. NHS psychotherapist Liz added: “It’s a poisonous product that causes a life-threatening illness.”

Ms Crouch said last night: “My actions make it clear the impact that I believe the delay has.”