A series of scandals involving betting on the timing of the UK general election has rocked the Conservative Party in recent days, with several individuals under investigation for alleged misconduct. Among those implicated are a close protection officer for Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his parliamentary aide Craig Williams, as well as Laura Saunders, who is married to the party's director of campaigning.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed on Wednesday that one of Sunak's protection officers had been arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office for allegedly placing bets related to the timing of the election. The officer was removed from operational duties and an investigation was opened by the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards.
The arrest came after Craig Williams, a Conservative lawmaker and parliamentary aide to Sunak, apologized for having placed a bet on the timing of the election before it was officially announced. He told BBC that he had made an error in judgment and would fully cooperate with any investigations.
News of these betting scandals comes as Sunak's campaign has been struggling to gain traction against Labour leader Keir Starmer, who is currently leading in the polls by around 20 points. The prime minister had previously indicated that he expected the election to take place in the second half of the year, but surprised many observers by opting for an earlier date on July 4.
The Gambling Commission is currently leading investigations into these alleged betting offenses and has referred matters to various police forces. The Independent Office for Police Conduct is also overseeing complaints related to officers' behavior in these cases.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police said: “We can confirm that on Friday, June 14, the Met were contacted by the Gambling Commission who informed us that they were investigating alleged bets made by a police constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, which were related to the timing of the General Election. The officer was arrested on Monday 18 June 2024 on suspicion of misconduct in public office.”
The Conservative Party has yet to comment on these developments beyond confirming that Tony Lee, their director of campaigning, has taken a leave of absence from CCHQ. The party spokesperson added: “As the Gambling Commission is an independent body, it wouldn't be proper to comment further until any process is concluded.”