Met Police join Gambling Commission inquiry into election bets

On Tuesday, after days of questions, the Tories withdrew support for two election candidates – Laura Saunders in Bristol North West and Craig Williams in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr.

Russell George, a Conservative politician in the Welsh Parliament, is also facing inquiries by the regulator and has “stepped back” from his frontbench role.

Labour has suspended its candidate in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, Kevin Craig.

All three parliamentary candidates will continue to appear on ballot papers, but if any of them is elected, they would sit in the Commons as an independent MP.

BBC Newsnight understands that as many as 15 Conservative Party candidates and officials are being scrutinised by the commission.

Separately, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack is not being looked into by the commission, but has admitted placing three bets on the election date.

Mr Jack, who is not standing to be an MP in the 4 July election, told the BBC that in April he placed a successful bet that the election date would fall between July and September – after losing two similar bets in March.

He said his wagers, which included two unsuccessful £5 bets and one successful £20 bet, did not breach any rules.

Asked about Mr Jack’s case, Mr Stride told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme his colleague had been “very clear” that he “hasn’t broken any of the rules or used any inside information”.

He said there needed to be a “thoughtful debate” on the general subject adding that there was “a huge difference between a politician placing a bet on what government we’ll have in 10 years’ time and someone who does something that’s more immediate – or relates for example to their own seat”.

The minister argued the focus should be on rule-breaking and that there should be “very severe consequences” if people were found to have committed wrongdoing.

Sir Ed told the BBC he had placed a bet on how well his party would do in the 2010 election, but lost.

He also told ITV he had bet on the 2022 by-election in North Shropshire, which his party won.

“But I think lots of people in politics do this. One reason why we need this review of gambling regulations is to get real clarity on what is allowed but what isn’t,” he said.