Westminster gambling scandal explodes

Westminster gambling scandal has exploded following a day in which Labour has been forced to suspend an election candidate ‘for betting on himself to lose’ – while Rishi Sunak has finally suspended two Tory candidates accused of wagers with further claiming he won £2,100.

Kevin Craig, who is standing in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is being investigated by the Gambling Commission over a bet he said he placed weeks ago when he did not think he’d win. 

And later Welsh cabinet member Russell George was also revealed to be being investigated by the Gambling Commission ‘regarding bets on the timing of the General Election’.

He has become the fifth Conservative politician to be drawn into the ongoing betting scandal which has overshadowed Rishi Sunak‘s election campaign for the past few weeks, as he steps back from his role while the investigation is carried out. 

It came after the Tories finally suspend two of their own candidates this morning. Craig Williams and Laura Saunders will no longer be ‘supported’ by the party ‘as a result of ongoing internal enquiries’ by the Conservative Party.

And in another development the BBC today revealed Scottish Secretary Alister Jack claimed he won £2,100 betting on the date of the election shortly after it was announced by Rishi Sunak. 

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Although the Cabinet Minister has since insisted the comments were ‘a joke’, adding he ‘did not place any bets on the date of the general election during May’. 

Mr Craig’s seat had a 23,000 Tory majority in 2019 but recent polls put him neck-and-neck with Conservative candidate Patrick Spencer.

In a statement this afternoon the major Labour donor said: ‘While I did not place this bet with any prior knowledge of the outcome, this was a huge mistake, for which I apologise unreservedly. 

‘I have so much respect for how Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party and I have been fighting so hard to win this seat and change the country alongside him. 

‘However, it is right that the party upholds the highest standards for its Parliamentary candidates – just as the public expects the highest standards from any party hoping to serve in government. I deeply regret what I have done and will take the consequences of this stupid error of judgement on the chin.’ 

A party spokeswoman said after being contacted by the Gambling Commission the party acted immediately to administratively suspend him pending investigation.

She added: ‘With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case.’

Mr George told the Guardian he would ‘co-operate fully’ with the investigation, adding that he had stepped back from the shadow cabinet ‘as I do not wish to be an unnecessary distraction to their work’.

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Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: ‘Russell George has informed me that he has received a letter from the Gambling Commission regarding bets on the timing of the General Election.

‘Russell George has stepped back from the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet while these investigations are ongoing.

‘All other Members of the Welsh Conservative Group have confirmed that they have not placed any bets.

‘I will not issue further comment on this ongoing process, recognising the Gambling Commission’s instruction for confidentiality to protect the integrity of the process.’

Mr Williams this afternoon admitted he had ‘committed an error of judgment, not an offence’ and vowed to clear his name and win election in his Welsh seat.

Amid a deepening scandal five more police officers are also being investigated by the GC over betting behaviour around the date of the election before it was announced, Scotland Yard revealed this afternoon. 

One of Mr Sunak’s close protection officers has been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office, but the latest individuals are not part of the same team. 

In a video statement Mr Williams, the candidate in Montgomeryshire and and Glyndwr, said: ‘I am committed to my campaign to be elected as your Member of Parliament and your staunch champion.’

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Scotland Yard said the five officers newly implicated in the scandal were from the Royalty and Specialist Command, the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command and the Central West Basic Command Unit. None of them work in a close protection role as a political bodyguard.

Announcing support was being withdrawn from the candidates earlier, a Conservative spokesman said: ‘As a result of ongoing internal enquiries, we have concluded that we can no longer support Craig Williams or Laura Saunders as Parliamentary Candidates at the forthcoming General Election. 

‘We have checked with the Gambling Commission that this decision does not compromise the investigation that they are conducting, which is rightly independent and ongoing.’

The move comes after Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker broke ranks to criticise the PM’s response, saying he would have been tougher on alleged ‘disreputable’ behaviour.

Mr Williams, Mr Sunak’s former parliamentary aide and the candidate in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, has admitted to a ‘huge error of judgment’ in placing ‘a flutter’ on the election date

Laura Saunders is a candidate in Bristol North West and the wife of the party’s director of campaigns Tony Lee.

Because nominations have closed, Mr Williams and Ms Saunders will both still be on the ballot paper. 

The party’s chief data officer, Nick Mason, is also being probed and denies wrongdoing.

Mr Sunak had insisted only yesterday that it was ‘proper’ to wait for the outcome of investigations by the Gambling Commission, the police and the Conservative Party itself.

Keir Starmer swiped: ‘Why didn’t that happen a week ago?’ 

The developments emerged after Scotland Yard flatly denied being the source of leaks about betting probes, which have been threatening to send the Conservative election campaign deeper into turmoil. 

The use of confidential information to gain unfair advantage when betting may constitute a criminal offence of cheating under section 42 of the Gambling Act.

Those convicted face an unlimited fine or up to two years in jail.

Mr Sunak has previously said he is ‘incredibly angry’ about the allegations, vowing to ‘boot out’ anyone found to have broken trust. 

Speaking on ITV’s Peston show last night, Mr Baker said: ‘I would call them up and ask them, ‘Did you do it?’ And if they did it, then they are suspended.

‘But the Prime Minister would have to answer why he hasn’t done it, I haven’t got inside information on why the Prime Minister hasn’t done it.’

Mr Baker was joining other Conservatives such as former defence minister Tobias Ellwood in calling for the suspension of the four Tories alleged to have placed bets on the election date.

The Tories have been trying to turn to the issue of immigration in an attempt to make a dent in Labour’s persistently large poll lead.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and his Labour opposite number Yvette Cooper went head-to-head in a debate on immigration on LBC.