Prime Minister Sunak ‘Disappointed’ as Aide Faces Probe for Betting on Election Timing

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has expressed his disappointment following the revelation that his close aide, Craig Williams, gambled on a July general election shortly before its declaration. Sunak and his Parliamentary Private Secretary have labeled this action a "significant lapse in judgement."

Thursday, June 13, 2024, 6:

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak expressed his disappointment following revelations that his assistant Craig Williams placed a bet on a July election.

Mr. Williams, serving as the Prime Minister's parliamentary private secretary, is under scrutiny for placing a bet on the general election mere days before the announcement of its July 4th date.

A Parliamentary Private Secretary (PPS) is a member of parliament from the ruling party who supports the prime minister by monitoring and reporting on the atmosphere and proceedings within the House of Commons

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Up to this point, he has not verified if he possessed confidential information at the time he made the wager.

Today, it was questioned whether Mr. Williams was aware of the July date when it was set.

He informed journalists in Puglia, during his attendance at the G7 summit, "It's quite disheartening to hear, and as you might have noticed, Craig Williams mentioned it was a significant lapse in judgment."

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While the Gambling Commission is currently undertaking an inquiry, Mr. Sunak stated that it "wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment during the ongoing process."

When questioned twice further, the Prime Minister remained firm, stating, "it wouldn’t be appropriate for me to comment… due to the inquiry's independent and confidential status."

During his time on the campaign trail today, Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey was questioned about his thoughts.

"He stated that while he is not familiar with the specifics of the situation, in his view, it is ethically dubious for anyone to place a wager on an event if they are already aware of its outcome."

Dyfed-Powys Police, the law enforcement agency in Mr. Williams's district, stated that the incident does not necessitate police action because the Gambling Commission possesses the authority to conduct investigations and press charges under the Gambling Act.

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Mr. Williams wagered £100 on a July election mere days before Mr. Sunak announced July 4 as the date, initially reported by The Guardian.

It is reported that he made the wager at a Ladbrokes located in his electoral district, and given the odds then, he stood to gain £500.

Today, Mr. Williams expressed his apologies to the BBC and acknowledged yesterday that he "should have considered the appearance of his actions."

In the upcoming election in Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr, the candidates include Jeremy Brignell-Thorp representing the Green Party, Oliver Lewis from Reform UK, Glyn Preston of the Liberal Democrats, Elwyn Vaughan for Plaid Cymru, and Steve Witherden running on behalf of the Labour Party.

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