A second Conservative candidate is under investigation by the Gambling Commission over bets made on the timing of the general election, the BBC reports.
Laura Sanders is the party’s candidate for Bristol North West and has been campaigning for the party since 2015.
She is believed to have until recently worked in the party’s international department, the part of the Conservative Party’s campaign headquarters that liaises with other centre-right parties around the world.
It is unclear when the bet was made or how much was at stake.
A Conservative spokesman told the BBC: “We have been contacted by the Gambling Commission about a small number of individuals. As the Gambling Commission is an independent body it would not be appropriate to comment further until any processes have been completed.”
Sanders did not respond to a request for comment.
Image source, Laura Sanders
Sanders is the second congressional candidate under investigation by gambling regulators.
Mr Williams, the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, is alleged to have bet £100 on the July election, three days before Mr Sunak announced the general election would be held on 4 July.
A Gambling Commission spokesman said the secret use of information to gain an unfair advantage when gambling “may amount to cheating under Section 42 of the Gambling Act and is a criminal offence”.
Meanwhile, the BBC reported on Wednesday that a police officer from the prime minister’s security team had been arrested on suspicion of betting on the timing of the general election.
The officer has been suspended and is under investigation for alleged official misconduct.
The Metropolitan Police was contacted by the Gambling Commission on 14 June and informed that a constable from the Metropolitan Police’s Royal and Professional Protection Command was under investigation for alleged gambling.
The Metropolitan police told the BBC: “The matter was immediately reported to officers from the Metropolitan police’s Professional Standards Unit, who launched an investigation and removed the staff member from duty.”
The officer was arrested on Monday and has since been remanded in custody and released on bail pending further enquiries.
- Caroline Gooch, Liberal Democrat
- Darren Jones, Labour Party
- Scarlett O’Connor, Reform UK
- Mary Page, Green
- Laura Sanders, Conservative
- Ben Smith, SDP
