Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said he had placed three bets on the timing of the election, one of which won him £100 (Picture: Reuters)
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has admitted placing a successful bet on the election date a month before the prime minister announced it.
The cabinet minister, who is stepping down at the upcoming election, said he had also placed two bets that did not pay off in March.
While he is not under investigation by the Gambling Commission, which is focused on bets placed in the days before the May 22 announcement, Jack is the highest-profile figure to be caught up in the growing scandal.
This morning, BBC News reported that up to 15 Conservative candidates and officials are being looking into for alleged betting.
They include Craig Williams and Laura Saunders, who were suspended as candidates yesterday; Welsh Parliament politician Russell George; director of campaigning Tony Lee; and chief data officer Nick Mason.
Lee and Mason have both taken leaves of absence from their roles.
The 2024 General Election – Metro style
Not sure what to make of the General Election? We got you.
In your inbox
Follow the battle for No 10 with our free weekly newsletter, bringing you easy-to-read breakdowns and straightforward analysis.
What really matters to you
We focus on the issues that our readers care about. Explore parties’ policies on immigration, tax, childcare, LGBTQ+ rights, housing and the climate crisis.
On mobile
Join us on WhatsApp for a daily selection of news and opinion as the election madness gets underway. And don’t forget to turn notifications on!
On TikTok
Fact-checking? Yes. Voters’ opinions? Yes. Dogs at polling stations? Also yes. Follow us on TikTok.
Yesterday, Labour also suspended a candidate who placed a bet backing his Conservative rival to win his seat. Kevin Craig said he had made a ‘huge error of judgment’.
The gambling row is likely to come up at tonight’s BBC debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer, the last before the election is held a week today.