PA Media: Video
‘Far from ideal’ – Gove comments on Tory election betting ‘scandal’
Housing Secretary Michael Gove has responded to the news that Conservative Party director of campaigning Tony Lee took a leave of absence on Wednesday, as it emerged his wife Laura Saunders was being investigated over an alleged election date bet. Mr Gove said: “I can tell how the world will think it looks, which is ‘not great’, but I can’t get into, I can’t know, what conversations were had, with whom, at what time. It’s quite properly being investigated now.” The Cabinet minister had earlier said: “I can tell you how unhappy I am and I know that there are lots of candidates out there who are deeply unhappy at this, and of course members of the public who will be looking on with a mixture of surprise and consternation, but there’s a process and we’ve got to allow that process to conclude.”