Rishi Sunak's election-time woes mount as betting scandal rocks Downing Street
File photo of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak.
UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's election-time woes continue to mount with looming threat of a Tory washout in July elections. In the latest incident, a police officer in Sunak's close protection team has been arrested and suspended over alleged bets about the timing of the general election.
The police constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command was arrested on June 17. He is accused of misconduct in public office. The officer was taken into custody and granted bail pending further enquiries.
Earlier last week, a senior aide to Rishi Sunak admitted the betting watchdog was investigating the alleged bets he placed on the date of the general election before its actual announcement.
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Craig Williams, who was the prime minister’s Parliamentary Private Secretary in the last Parliament, said he would cooperate with the probe.
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Williams, a Tory candidate from Montgomeryshire & Glyndwr, placed a £100 ($127) bet on a July election just three days before Sunak declared July 4 as the date, The Guardian reported.
A Scotland Yard spokesperson told The Independent: "We can confirm that on Friday, 14 June, the Met were contacted by the Gambling Commission who informed us that they were investigating alleged bets made by a Police Constable from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, which were related to the timing of the general election."
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"The matter was immediately referred to officers in the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, who opened an investigation, and the officer was also removed from operational duties."
“The officer was subsequently arrested on Monday 17 June on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was taken into custody and bailed pending further enquiries. The matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct."
"The Gambling Commission continues to lead the investigation into the alleged betting offences, and our investigation is running in parallel to that."
(With inputs from agencies)