Rishi Sunak’s former aide and 14 others charged with gambling on timing of General Election
FIFTEEN people including an ex-Tory MP have been charged following a probe into bets placed on the date of the general election.
The Gambling Commission today confirmed that Craig Williams and 14 others will face court action after the investigation into last year’s poll.
Williams, 39, acted as then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Parliamentary aide for nearly two years before the Tories were booted from power.
He was among a number of people linked to the Conservative Party reported to have made bets on the election date which was called by Mr Sunak.
He admitted at the time to having a “flutter” on the date of the national poll just ahead of it being announced in May last year.
The investigation was started in June last year and “focused on individuals suspected of using confidential information”, the Gambling Commission said.
The watchdog said the focus was on individuals who could “gain an unfair advantage in betting markets”.
Such actions are seen as constituting the offence of cheating under the Gambling Act, which is a criminal offcence.
The others also facing charges are Russell George who is a member of the Welsh assembly for Montgomeryshire.
He has since been suspended from the Conservative Party.
Darren Millar, the leader of the Welsh Tories, said: “Having been informed that Russell George MS has been charged with gambling-related offences, I have taken the decision to suspend him from the Welsh Conservative group in the Senedd.
“The suspension is a neutral act pending the outcome of the justice process.”
Nick Mason, a former chief data officer for the Conservative Party, has also been charged by the Gambling Commission.
Laura Saunders, who was the Tory candidate in Bristol North West at the election, has also been charged.
It emerged that she was married to the party’s campaign chief when the revelations first came out.
A former police officer, Jeremy Hunt, aged 55, has also been charged.
The probe by Gambling Commission is separate to that led by the Metropolitan Police which was discontinued.
Ellie Reeves, Labour Party chair has urged the Tory party leader to hammer down on anyone trying to “cheat the system”.
She said: “This is a very serious development. The British people will expect that anyone found guilty of wrongdoing faces the full force of the law.
“Kemi Badenoch must make crystal clear that anyone found guilty of using insider information to cheat the system to try to enrich themselves has no place in the Conservative Party. No ifs, no buts.
“Labour is turning the page on 14 years of Conservative chaos and scandal and we’re turning our country round through our Plan for Change.
“Only Labour can be trusted to deliver security for working people and the renewal Britain needs.”
A Conservative Party spokesman said: “The Conservative Party believes that those working in politics must act with integrity. Current members of staff who have been charged are being suspended with immediate effect.
“These incidents took place in May last year. Our Party is now under new leadership and we are cooperating fully with the Gambling Commission to ensure that their investigation can conclude swiftly and transparently.”