According to The Independent Rishi Sunak’s election campaign suffered another setback on Sunday when it was revealed that a fourth Conservative member was under investigation for placing a bet on the date of the general election.
Nick Mason, the party’s data chief, has taken a leave of absence after becoming the latest Tory to be reportedly investigated by the Gambling Commission for allegedly betting on the timing of the election before the date had been announced.
The latest allegations were published by The Sunday Times, which claimed that dozens of bets had been placed, potentially yielding winnings worth thousands of pounds. A spokesman for Mr Mason told the paper that he denied any wrongdoing.
Rules for MPs and Others on Betting with Inside Knowledge
Using confidential information to gain an unfair advantage when betting may constitute a criminal offence. Gamblers are not permitted to use inside information to place a bet or to instruct someone else to do so on their behalf. They are also not allowed to pass inside information to someone else for the purpose of betting.
Additionally, the MPs’ code of conduct bars members from “causing significant damage to the reputation and integrity of the house”. An MP placing a bet with inside knowledge is likely to cross this threshold.
Who Else is Being Investigated?
Craig Williams, the Prime Minister’s parliamentary private secretary, was the first person caught up in the scandal. He admitted placing a bet on the election prior to Mr Sunak’s announcement after he was approached by a journalist. The 39-year-old Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr placed a £100 bet with 5-1 odds at Ladbrokes, meaning he would have won £500, but his name was raised as potentially a “politically exposed person”, so the wager was not registered.
This led the Gambling Commission to write to firms demanding the details of all bets made on a July election after 1 May, which it is now combing through. The search is believed to have expanded beyond MPs and candidates to their friends and relatives as well. Bookmakers are particularly cautious over “novelty” betting markets such as the general election.
According to The Guardian, which first reported the story, Mr Williams placed his bet via an online account that would have required him to provide personal details, including his date of birth and debit card. The bookmaker also knows the location of the bet. Ladbrokes declined to comment on the incident, but the Gambling Commission issued a statement confirming that it was investigating.
Mr Williams apologised after admitting that he had placed a wager, but refused to comment further while the Gambling Commission carried out its probe.
Laura Saunders and Tony Lee
Laura Saunders became the second person named in the affair. Ms Saunders, the Tory candidate for Bristol North West, is also under investigation by the Gambling Commission over claims she may have had inside knowledge about the Prime Minister’s decision to call a snap poll for 4 July. Ms Saunders has worked for the party since 2015 and was married to Tony Lee, who works as the Conservative Party’s director of campaigns. Mr Lee has since taken a leave of absence after it came to light he was the third person being probed by the Gambling Commission.
According to the BBC, which first named Ms Saunders as the candidate under investigation, she most recently worked in the party’s international division at Conservative Campaign Headquarters, which collaborates with other centre-right parties around the world.
Close Protection Officer Arrested
A police officer in Mr Sunak’s close protection team was arrested and suspended over alleged bets on the timing of the general election. The police constable from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command was arrested on 17 June on suspicion of misconduct in public office after the betting watchdog contacted the force last Friday. The officer was taken into custody and bailed pending further enquiries, with the case being referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct, according to the Met.
Gambling in the Cabinet
Despite senior Tories attempting to distance themselves from these revelations, we can now reveal that gambling played a central role during Boris Johnson’s cabinet meetings, which may explain why they appeared to be doing very little to combat the mass of serious issues destroying the UK.
We will soon be rid of them, but until they are extinct, they remain a threat.
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