Tories pull support for candidates over bet scandal

The Conservative party have withdrawn support from two candidates who are under investigation for alleged betting on the date of the general election.

Both Craig Williams, the candidate in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, and Laura Saunders, the candidate in Bristol North West, are being looked into by the Gambling Commission.

The pair will still appear on the ballot under Conservative party banners but this decision means they will become independent if elected, pending the result of an investigation.

When asked by the BBC, he refused to say whether he placed a bet on the basis of inside information.

A spokesperson for Ms Saunders said she would be co-operating with the Gambling Commission and had nothing further to add.

A Conservative Party 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.”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer, commenting on the news that support had been withdrawn from the candidates, said: “Why didn’t that happen a week ago?”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “This should have happened immediately when these scandalous revelations emerged, but instead Rishi Sunak has dithered and delayed.”

Two sources earlier told the BBC that the party board had held urgent discussions about how to handle the row.

Two members of Conservative staff have also taken leaves of absence from their roles after it emerged they were being looked into by the Gambling Commission.

The BBC has been told that the Gambling Commission is considering whether more police officers are involved.

The Metropolitan Police has denied reports that it leaked the names of people being investigated about alleged bets on the election date.