LABOUR has been dragged into the election betting scandal as Sir Keir Starmer suspended a candidate for allegedly betting against himself.
Kevin Craig, who is standing in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, was “administratively suspended” by the party after the betting regulator launched a probe in another dramatic twist.
Businessman Kevin Craig is the latest candidate to be probed by the Gambling Commission
Darren FletcherKevin Craig was ‘administratively suspended’ by Sir Keir Starmer, Labour said[/caption]
A Labour spokeswoman said tonight: “With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case.”
It is understood Mr Craig lumped an undisclosed sum on his Tory rival to beat him for the safe seat, which has a current majority of 23,300.
He did not place a bet on the date of the election – something several Tory MPs and officials are under investigation for.
Labour officials are said to have been informed of the regulator probe last night and launched an urgent investigation, ending with the candidate’s suspension.
Businessman Mr Craig runs a public affairs firm in Ipswich and is standing in the former seat of Tory-to-Labour defector Dr Dan Poulter.
It comes just hours after senior Labour frontbenchers and Sir Keir lined up to slam PM Rishi Sunak over his handling of alleged Tory bettors.
The Conservative Party earlier today withdrew support for Craig Williams and Laura Saunders after they were named in a probe into suspicious bets on the date of the election.
And in another fresh twist, the Gambling Commission said it believes five more Met cops could also have put punts on the date Britain would go the polls.
Mr Williams, the PM’s private parliamentary secretary, Ms Saunders and Tory HQ chief data officer Nick Mason are reported to have placed wagers worth as much as £100 each.
It is understood the regulator is probing all election date bets worth more than £20 amid a huge spike in market activity in the days leading up to the PM’s announcement on May 22.
It comes some 13 days after Mr Williams, reportedly in line for a knighthood, admitted betting on the election date just days before his boss announced it.
The top Rishi aide conceded he made a “huge error of judgement” over the £100 punt and added he would continue campaigning to win his marginal Montgomeryshire seat.
Mr Williams said he was working with the Gambling Commission and was confident the flutter was “not an offence”.
He added in a statement: “I want to reiterate my apology directly to you.
“I’m fully cooperating with routine inquiries from the Gambling Commission. And I intend to clear my name.
“In all these things due process is important and that is what sets the UK apart from other countries and the Commission must be allowed to do its work.”
Ms Saunders, running in Bristol North West, has worked for the Conservative Party for nine years.
Her husband Tony Lee, who runs the party’s local campaign units, is on a “leave of absence” after it was reported last week that he is also being probed by the gambling watchdog.
A close protection officer from the Met Police was arrested last Monday (17/6) on suspicion of misconduct in public office in relation to another bet.
But the Gambling Commission said it had passed further information to the Metropolitan Police over claims five cops also made bets – though they are not yet under criminal investigation.
On Sunday, Home Secretary James Cleverly said he “has no reason to believe” his Cabinet colleagues were involved and that only a “small number of individuals” seem to be implicated.
Confirming the party was abandoning the accused duo, a Tory spokesman said: “As a result of ongoing internal enquiries, we have concluded that we can no longer support Craig Williams or Laura Saunders as Parliamentary Candidates at the forthcoming General Election.
“We have checked with the Gambling Commission that this decision does not compromise the investigation that they are conducting, which is rightly independent and ongoing.”
Both will still appear on ballot papers as Conservative candidates as the deadline to change voting slips passed earlier this month.
They will become independent MPs if elected – pending the outcome of the Tory investigation.
Speaking at a campaign stop this morning, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer blasted: “Why didn’t this happen a week ago?”
Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth accused the PM of “staggeringly weak leadership” over the alleged insider bets, blasting: “It has taken him nearly two weeks to see what was obvious to everyone else.”
The dramatic developments came just hours after the PM claimed he was “as angry as anyone” over the affair.
Speaking on our Never Mind The Ballots election showdown on Monday, Mr Sunak insisted anyone involved must “face the full consequences” and be “booted out of the Conservative Party”.
The PM added: “I’ve been crystal clear, if anyone has broken the rules and not upheld the standards, I would expect they will be held to account.”
A Met Police spokesman said: “We previously confirmed the arrest of a Met officer on Monday, 17 June for misconduct in public office in relation to bets placed on the timing of the general election.
“The officer – a police constable from the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command – is on restricted duties.
“It is still the case that only one officer is under criminal investigation.”