Two Tories lose party support after betting on election timetable in UK scandal

Britain's Conservative Party announced on Tuesday that it had withdrawn its support for two parliamentary candidates who are under investigation over alleged betting on the timing of next month's national elections.

“Following ongoing internal investigations, we have concluded that we can no longer support Craig Williams or Laura Saunders as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming general election,” a party spokesperson said.

British media reported last week that the country's betting regulator, the Gambling Commission, was investigating allegations of improper betting made by a second candidate, Saunders, and her husband, Tony Lee, the party's campaign manager. .

Williams, a parliamentary secretary and therefore close aide to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, said in a video message on the social media platform X on Tuesday: “I made an error of judgment, not an offense.

“I am fully cooperating with routine investigations by the Gambling Commission and intend to clear my name,” he said.

Reuters was unable to reach Saunders or Lee for comment.

The party said at the time that it had been contacted by the Commission “regarding a small number of individuals”. It also indicated that Lee had taken a leave of absence from his role.

The Conservative spokesperson said the party had checked with the Gambling Commission to ensure its decision to withdraw support did not compromise its investigations. The Commission has not named anyone in connection with its investigation.

Betting with insider knowledge is potentially a crime

British bookmakers allow betting on politics, and the timing of an election is a popular bet. But betting with insider knowledge is a crime.

Sunak, who surprised most lawmakers and voters when he announced the July 4 election date, said he was “incredibly angry” to hear about the allegations.

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The opposition Labor Party said the fact it took so long to suspend the candidates was a sign of Sunak's “incredibly weak leadership”.

“Tories who have sought to enrich themselves by betting on the election date are not fit to be candidates for Parliament,” Labor Party member Jonathan Ashworth said in a statement, demanding that Sunak disclose the number of Tories involved in the investigation and name them.

Conservative senior minister Michael Gove recently condemned the alleged betting and likened it to “Partygate”, the ethics scandal which contributed to the ouster of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022. The controversy has seen politicians and Officials held parties and gatherings in government buildings that violated lockdown guidelines during the first two years of the COVID-19 pandemic.

“It looks like one rule for them and one rule for us,” Gove told the Sunday Times.

Separately, London police announced last week that they had arrested a police officer working in a special protection unit for alleged betting on the election calendar. The BBC then reported that the officer was working as Sunak's bodyguard.

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