Fifteen individuals, including former Conservative MP Craig Williams, have been charged with betting offences by the Gambling Commission. The charges stem from an investigation launched last year after bets were placed on the timing of the 2024 general election. The investigation primarily focused on individuals suspected of using confidential information, specifically advance knowledge of the election date, to gain an unfair advantage in the betting markets.
Craig Williams, who was the MP for Montgomeryshire and served as an aide to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak before the election was called, is among those charged. In addition to Williams, Russell George, a Member of the Senedd, is also facing charges. George, who has been suspended from the Welsh Conservative group, is part of the broader group of individuals charged in relation to the betting scheme.
Others named in the charges include Laura Saunders, a former Conservative parliamentary candidate for Bristol North West, and her partner Anthony Lee, who previously served as the director of campaigning for the Conservative Party. Thomas James, the director of the Welsh Conservatives, and Nick Mason, a former chief data officer for the party, have also been charged.
In response to the charges, a Conservative spokesperson expressed the party’s commitment to integrity in politics, stating that individuals who have been charged will be suspended with immediate effect. The spokesperson emphasized that these incidents occurred in May of the previous year and that the party, now under new leadership, is cooperating fully with the Gambling Commission to ensure a swift and transparent resolution to the investigation.
Darren Millar, the leader of the Welsh Conservatives, described the suspension of Russell George as a neutral measure pending the outcome of the legal process. Bernard Gentry, the chairman of the Welsh Conservatives, expressed disappointment over the charges but reiterated the importance of waiting for the court case to unfold before passing judgment.
The investigation and subsequent charges have also involved some members of the police force. The Gambling Commission’s announcement led to a statement from the Metropolitan Police, noting that one officer, who was attached to the Royalty and Specialist Protection Command at the time of the alleged offence, was under investigation. Nine other officers, however, were cleared of any involvement in the case.
The 15 individuals charged are set to appear in Westminster Magistrates’ Court on June 13. They face charges under section 42 of the Gambling Act, which could result in fines or prison sentences of up to two years for those found guilty.
The charges have attracted widespread attention, with political figures calling for swift action. Labour Party chairwoman Ellie Reeves described the situation as serious, stressing that the British public would expect those found guilty to face the full force of the law. She also called on Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch to make it clear that anyone found guilty of using insider information for personal gain should have no place in the Conservative Party.
The allegations first emerged in early June 2024, when it was reported that Craig Williams had placed a bet on the date of the general election. Williams later admitted to making a significant error in judgment, though he declined to comment on whether he had prior knowledge of the election date. His apology came in the wake of the Gambling Commission’s investigation, which led to the Conservative Party distancing itself from Williams and other individuals involved in the betting scandal.
As the investigation continues, some individuals involved, such as Nick Mason and Anthony Lee, have taken leaves of absence from their roles within the party, with Mason even being suspended from the Conservative group on Herefordshire’s council. The legal process is set to unfold over the coming months, and it remains to be seen what consequences those charged will face.
