Senior UK politicians have sparked debate over whether UK regulations on gambling relating to politics should be reviewed amid the ongoing election betting scandal.
Five members of the Conservative Party have so far been named as part of the Gambling Commission’s investigation into bets on the timing of the July 4 election, which was called by Conservative Prime Minister Rishi Sunak in May.
Criticism has grown over whether insider trading has taken place, with Gambling Commission rules stating that using confidential information to gain an unfair advantage when betting could be a criminal offence.
Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, said (via BBC News) while campaigning in Essex that he feels there should be “a review of all gambling regulations with respect to politics after this election.”
“We need much greater transparency, much greater clarification, so everyone knows what is possible and what isn't,” he added.
The Conservatives’ Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride told Times Radio: “My personal view, I would just say that people shouldn’t do it, but I think we should have a debate about it more broadly.”
However, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the scandal is about the behaviour of politicians and their leaders instead of the rules on gambling. The rules are “clear enough,” he said.
Nevertheless, Labour has also been dragged into the scandal – albeit on different grounds to the Conservatives. Kevin Craig, who was originally standing for Labour in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, has now been suspended after it emerged that he bet on himself to lose the constituency’s July 4 vote.
Crucially, Craig’s bet was unrelated to the Gambling Commission investigation and was dealt with internally by the Labour Party via his suspension, the speed of which Starmer has contrasted with the Conservatives’ wait to withdraw their support for Laura Saunders and Craig Williams, who are involved in the UK regulator’s probe.
As well as politicians, the Gambling Commission's probe is also investigating a Metropolitan Police officer in the prime minister's close protection team over betting on the timing of the election. The officer in question has been suspended and arrested.
It was revealed on Tuesday that five more Met officers are involved in the investigation into betting on the election – but it is unclear if they will face any action as they are not part of any close protection team.
BBC News' Newsnight programme said it had learned that up to 15 members of the Conservative Party are involved in the UKGC probe. It said the UKGC is to interview those involved this week.
