Seven police officers and several politicians are believed to have placed illegal bets on the date and outcome of the election, including a bodyguard of the Prime Minister. Gamblegate is haunting the Conservatives.
British police announced Thursday that they will investigate some of the cases of people, including politicians and police officers, suspected of having made fraudulent bets ahead of the July 4 general elections.
In a press release, London’s Metropolitan Police said some of these bets may constitute “misconduct in the performance of a public duty” as well as a mere breach of gambling regulations.
Police said at least seven officers were under investigation, including a personal security guard for British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, but did not specify whether any politicians were targeted.
For several weeks, the commission responsible for regulating gambling has suspected that certain individuals took advantage of privileged information due to their proximity to the prime minister to place bets on the date of the election.
Of all the cases examined by the commission, “one a small number requires a more extensive criminal investigation by the police,” said Katherine Goodwin, head of investigation at the London Metropolitan Police, quoted in the statement.
Two presumptive Conservative candidates, including former Rishi Sunak adviser Craig Williams, have had their support withdrawn from the party for the July 4 election.
Craig Williams admitted an “error of judgement” without confirming whether he had confidential information on the matter.
More trouble for Sunak as inquiry into Tory candidates’ betting on election date shakes up campaign
The scandal, called by the press “bet“, is casting a shadow over the Conservative Party’s campaign, since most of the cases revealed are ‘Tories’ (conservatives), but not all will be illegal.
MP Philip Davies, husband of Secretary of State Esther McVey, has bet £8,000 (9,500 euros) that he would lose his seat as West Yorkshire MP in parliament, The Sun newspaper reported.
Labor candidate Kevin Craig also bet on his own defeat in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, prompting an investigation and his suspension by the Labor Party.
Source: Observadora
