The Conservative Party in the UK is withdrawing its support for two candidates. Both are being investigated for having placed bets on the date of the British election.
At the same time, a Labour candidate has also been accused of another betting scandal.
Craig Williams, who has been close to Rishi Sunak, and Laura Saunders will no longer receive support from their party.
As a result of ongoing internal investigations, we have come to the conclusion that we can no longer support Craig Williams or Laura Saunders as parliamentary candidates in the upcoming election, says a spokesperson for The Conservative Party (Tories).
The Electoral Commission reports, according to The Guardian, that it cannot prevent the duo from standing on the Tories' ballot papers. However, if they are elected, they will be classified as independents pending the outcome of the investigation, reports BBC.
Why not earlier?
Besides the two candidates, campaign chief Tony Lee – Laura Saunders' husband – and one of Sunak's bodyguards are being investigated for having placed bets on when the election would take place.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has previously said he is "extremely, extremely angry" about people in his circle having placed bets on the election.
But that he did not shut down the two candidates earlier has raised surprise.
Why didn't this happen a week ago? asked Labour leader Keir Starmer on Tuesday.
Bet on own defeat
He soon had his own problems with betting, however. One of Labour's candidates, Kevin Craig, is reported to have placed a bet on losing the election in his constituency in Suffolk.
Labour immediately shut down Kevin Craig, reports news agency PA.
On Tuesday, the London police also announced that five more police officers within the protection unit are suspected of having placed bets on the election. Unlike their colleague, they have not been shut down.
Recently, British Planning and Communities Minister Michael Gove, a veteran in the government, said the scandal is comparable to "partygate", the parties during the coronavirus pandemic whose aftermath brought down Boris Johnson.
Prime Minister Sunak announced in May that the election will be held on 4 July. It is illegal to make bets with insider information.
