Labour makes shock candidate suspension in fresh gambling probe

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Scotland Secretary Alister Jack confirms he put a £20 bet at 5 to 1 in April on an election being held between July and September.

He says he had no knowledge of the date of the election until the day it was called.

He said: “Following reports today I want to be absolutely clear I have not breached any gambling rules. I placed two unsuccessful bets on the date of the general election and one successful one.

“I put two bets on in March of £5 each for an election to be held in May and June respectively.

"In April, I put £20 at 5 to 1 on an election being held between July and September.

“I had no knowledge of the date of the election until the day it was called. As I have said previously, I placed no bets in May and am not under investigation by the Gambling Commission.”

The King’s right-hand man Sir Clive Alderton was sat next to Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer during a state banquet held in honour of the visiting Emperor and Empress of Japan tonight.

Rishi Sunak is seated next to an eminent Computer Scientist from Southampton Uni.

Sir Ed Davey were also present at the event, along with Kemi Badenoch and Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary.

The SNP said Alister Jack has a “duty to come forward with the full details” after it was reported he claimed to have won more than £2,000 betting on the date of the general election.

The party’s Scotland spokesman and candidate for Edinburgh East Tommy Sheppard said: “The Tories have already suspended two candidates over this gambling scandal, so revelations that Alister Jack has pocketed over £2,000 betting on the date of the General Election raises a number of very serious questions.

“As a senior cabinet member in the Tory government, and a well-known confidant of Sunak, Jack is obviously in the loop when it comes to Conservative Party planning.

“Alister Jack has a duty to come forward with the full details of precisely what bets he placed on the election and when – the public deserve answers immediately.

“This scandal is the latest in a long line of Westminster sleaze stories and it appears Labour candidates have been in on the act too – suspending a candidate after the Gambling Commission launched an investigation into him.

“A vote for the SNP at this election is a vote to reject more of the same at Westminster and put Scotland’s interests first.”

Welsh Labour called on Andrew RT Davies to suspend Russell George after it emerged he had been contacted by the Gambling Commission over alleged betting on the date of the election.

Campaign chair Jessica Morden said: “It took Rishi Sunak almost two weeks to take action on one of his Conservative candidates. How long will it take Andrew RT Davies to suspend Russell George?”

Russell George, the Welsh Conservative member of the Senedd facing an investigation over alleged betting on the date of the election, said he would “co-operate fully” with the inquiry.

In a statement, he said it was “the Gambling Commission, not the media” that has the responsibility and powers to properly probe the matter, and that he would not be commenting further.

Mr George said: “Whilst I will co-operate fully with the Gambling Commission, it would not be appropriate to comment on this independent and confidential process.

“Doing so would only jeopardise and undermine the investigation. It is the Gambling Commission, not the media, that has the responsibility, powers and resources to properly investigate these matters and determine what, if any, action should be taken.

“I have stepped back from the shadow cabinet while the investigation is ongoing. I have done this as I do not wish to be an unnecessary distraction to their work.

“As such, I will not be providing any further public comment on this until the Gambling Commission has concluded its work.”

Former Tory culture secretary Nadine Dorries has said there is a “rottenness at the core of the Conservative Party” which has been allowed to develop over several years.

Ms Dorries told LBC: “The rebuilding of the Conservative Party, which I know many people in the Conservative Party are talking about now, it has to start from the roots up.

“Because there is a rottenness at the core of the Conservative Party which has been allowed to develop over the past number of years, the past six, seven, eight years.”

She said the party had to go “back to basics” to rebuild because MPs are coming into Westminster and “expecting to be made a minister within a year”.

“We need to reverse what has been a culture of expectation and entitlement and privilege,” Ms Dorries said, adding that she thinks the problems in the Tory Party are also problems for Labour.

A Tory politician has become the fifth party figure to be investigated by the gambling watchdog for allegedly placing a suspicious bet on the general election date.The Gambling Commission has reportedly informed Russell George, a Tory member of the Welsh parliament who represents the same constituency as Rishi Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide Craig Williams, that he is part of its inquiry.

Andrew RT Davies MS, Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, said: “Russell George has informed me that he has received a letter from the Gambling Commission regarding bets on the timing of the General Election.

“Russell George has stepped back from the Welsh Conservative Shadow Cabinet while these investigations are ongoing.

“All other Members of the Welsh Conservative Group have confirmed that they have not placed any bets.

“I will not issue further comment on this ongoing process, recognising the Gambling Commission’s instruction for confidentiality to protect the integrity of the process.”

A Conservative cabinet minister claimed that he won more than £2,000 betting on a July general election.

Shortly after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the election date, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack told the BBC he had made £2,100 after betting on June and July election dates. He claimed one of the bets was placed at odds of 25/1.

Last week, Mr Jack told the BBC the comments were “a joke… I was pulling your leg”.

But today, the Scottish Secretary said in a statement he “did not place any bets on the date of the general election during May”.

Rishi Sunak made his surprise election announcement on 22 May.

Mr Jack had been telling colleagues and journalists for at least a year that he thought a June or July election made the most strategic sense for his party.

A car has crashed into the gates of Rishi Sunak's official country residence, police have confirmed.

The incident took place on Tuesday shortly after midday, when the white Volkswagen Scirocco hit the barriers at the entrance to Chequers - the grace and favour manor house in Buckinghamshire which prime ministers are allowed to use while in office.

Rishi Sunak was not at the property at the time.

The Labour candidate suspended for betting against himself in the general election is chief executive of lobbyist PLMR.

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn would get 29% of the vote in his North Islington seat, significantly less than Labour's 43%.

The Survation poll, which was commissioned by Mr Corbyn's suppoorters, was done between 20 and 25 June.

Mr Corbyn led Labour from 2015 to 2020 but had the whip removed after he claimed that accusations of anti-Semitism during his time as leader had been “overstated for political reasons”.

He declared last month he intended to stand as an independent candidate and was consequently expelled from the Labour Party

Here are the full poll results (changes compared to 2019):

LAB: 43% (-22)

IND Corbyn: 29% (new)

LD: 7% (-8)

GRN: 7% (-1)

REF: 6% (+5 from Brexit Party)

CON: 6% (-4) OTH: 2% (+2)

In a statement, Kevin Craig said: “Throughout my life I have enjoyed the odd bet for fun whether on politics or horses.

"A few weeks ago when I thought I would never win this seat I put a bet on the Tories to win here with the intention of giving any winnings to local charities.

"While I did not place this bet with any prior knowledge of the outcome, this was a huge mistake, for which I apologise unreservedly.

"I have so much respect for how Keir Starmer has changed the Labour Party and I have been fighting so hard to win this seat and change the country alongside him.

"However, it is right that the party upholds the highest standards for its Parliamentary candidates - just as the public expects the highest standards from any party hoping to serve in government.

"I deeply regret what I have done and will take the consequences of this stupid error of judgement on the chin. I am deeply sorry to the many dedicated and loyal local Labour Party volunteers who have been supporting my campaign. I will comply fully with the investigation.”

Jeremy Corbyn has described as “utter nonsense” Sir Keir Starmer’s suggestion that the Labour 2019 manifesto was similar to the Tory 2024 document in not being properly costed.

The former party leader, who is now standing as an independent candidate, said people should “be true to ourselves and what we did at the time” when asked about his successor’s claim that he never thought Mr Corbyn would be prime minister.

Mr Corbyn told LBC: “He never told me that. He never discussed that with me. He endorsed the 2019 manifesto … indeed, we did campaign events together.

“I just think we should reflect on our history and be true to ourselves and what we did at the time.”

He added: “Okay, his politics have moved on a great deal since then, but, you know, let’s just reflect on that.”

On Sir Keir’s suggestion the Tories have launched a Corbyn-style manifesto where “none of it is costed”, Mr Corbyn said: “Utter nonsense. He knows, you know, I know the whole thing was fully costed.”

Labour has suspended parliamentary candidate Kevin Craig after being told the Gambling Commission has launched an investigation into him, a party spokeswoman said.

Labour has administratively suspended Central Suffolk and North Ipswich candidate Kevin Craig after the Gambling Commission launched an investigation.

A party spokeswoman said the party acted immediately to administratively suspend him pending investigation after they were contacted by the watchdog.

A Labour Party spokeswoman said: “With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case.”

Kemi Badenoch has branded David Tennant a "rich, lefty, white male celebrity" in a transgender row.

The Equalities minister said she will not be "silenced by a man" after Doctor Who actor told her to "shut up’"and "not exist any more".

Picking up an award for celebrity trans ally on Friday night he told a cheering audience: 'I don't wish ill of her, I just wish her to shut up.'

Nigel Farage had a personal boost today, winning the TRIC news presenter of the year award.

Mr Farage took home the prize for a second year running, while his former channel GB News also bagged a gong for their breakfast show, and interview of the year thanks to Alastair Stewart's revelation of dementia to Camilla Tominey.

Accepting his award, Mr Farage warned the TV industry that GB News is "here to stay".

He added: "Sadly, my TV career has been somewhat curtailed as I have another mission coming up on the 4th of July".

"But thank you, everybody, you will be seeing more of me."

A Youth Demand protester wearing an "eat s*** Rishi" shirt has targeted the Prime Minister's £2million mansion by wading into his lake, pulling down his trousers with a hole in his underwear and squatting.

Eco-activist Oliver, a 21-year-old student from Manchester, carried out the disgusting act at Mr Sunak's home in Richmond, North Yorkshire, on Tuesday afternoon.

Youth Demand, who uploaded the shocking footage on their social media platforms, said that four people were detained by police.

Craig Williams, who has been dropped by the Tories as a candidate over betting on the election timing, said he had “committed an error of judgment, not an offence” and “I intend to clear my name”.

He said he remained on the ballot paper and intended to clear his name after being dropped by the Conservatives over betting on the date of the General Election.

In a video posted on X, formerly Twitter, Mr Williams said: “I just want a quick message to the constituents of Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr. I remain on the ballot paper come July 4 and I hope to secure your support after years of delivery.

“I committed an error of judgment, not an offence, and I want to reiterate my apology directly to you.

“I am fully co-operating with routine inquiries from the Gambling Commission and I intend to clear my name.”

Actor Idris Elba and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer meeting families of knife crime victims at the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith, London, while on the general election campaign trail.

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker said he would not welcome a merger with Reform or Nigel Farage joining the Conservative Party.

The Brexiteer told Times Radio: "Unfortunately, Nigel in particular too often says things which are too inflaming to certain sensitivities. He should be more careful with how he deals with issues. I don't want to work with him.

"I know some colleagues want to welcome him in but in the diverse country that we have today, and particularly in a diverse community like the one that I represent, one must understand how one will be heard when talking about sensitive issues and I'm afraid Nigel just doesn't, just does not illustrate his capacity to do that and so for that reason, I would not want him within the Conservative Party."

Tory chairman Richard Holden saw his leaflets delivered to the wrong constituency, in a new blunder following his move from Northumberland to Essex.

Mr Holden saw hundreds of leaflets, intended for his prospective Basildon and Billericay constituency, delivered to a neighbouring Essex seat.

The Tory party said the mistake was not uncommon and out of their control.

Nigel Farage’s two speeches yesterday have now been watched by almost 800,000 people - with a party spokesman also claiming Reform UK was “trouncing the major parties on social media”.

Mr Farage addressed an estimated 2,100 people at campaign events in Maidstone, Kent, and Newton Abbott, Devon.

Nigel Farage’s two speeches yesterday have now been watched by almost 800,000 people - with a party spokesman also claiming Reform UK was “trouncing the major parties on social media”.

Mr Farage addressed an estimated 2,100 people at campaign events in Maidstone, Kent, and Newton Abbott, Devon.

Two thirds of voters say candidates who placed bets on the election date should not be allowed to stand, new polling by Survation shows.

The survey of 2,323 UK adults was carried out from June 21-24 before the Tories pulled support for two candidates implicated in the scandal.

Emma Levin, associate director at Savanta, said: “Why did it take Rishi Sunak so long to act? Our research suggests the public shared his anger at Conservative candidates for placing bets on the date of the election.

"Over half of Conservative voters say those candidates shouldn’t have been allowed to stand – they now have their wish - but after nearly a week of headlines, is it too little too late?”

The Gambling Commission has passed information to the Metropolitan Police alleging five more officers placed bets related to the timing of the General Election, the force said.

Facebook is typically the most important social media battleground in any election, given it is both the most used platform by voters, and the most popular among older voters who are most likely to turn out and vote.

It is bizarre, therefore, that Rishi Sunak has not posted a single paid advert to the Meta platform since the end of May.

This is in stark contrast to Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer.

Sir Keir's Facebook page has spent £36,077 on 1,070 different sponsored posts, according to The Telegraph, while Mr Farage has spent £5,619.

Britain must cut off payments to France if they continue shadowing migrants across the Channel, Nigel Farage has declared.

The Reform UK leader accused Paris of "aiding and abetting the criminal gangs" cramming asylum seekers into small boats.

The Daily Express joined Mr Farage on the Channel on Tuesday morning and witnessed a French rescue ship following a migrant dinghy for several hours as it made its way towards the halfway point. It was then met in British waters by a Border Force vessel.

A new poll has revealed that it’s a tight three-way race for older voters as the parties head into the final week of the election.

The new findings by JL Partners shine a light on the widespread scepticism among baby boomers towards all parties, with ‘don’t know’ and ‘none of the above’ storming to victories on a number of key policy areas.

Among 66-70 year olds, the election is still all to play for among the Conservatives, Labour and Reform UK.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron and Home Secretary James Cleverly attend the ceremonial welcome for the Emperor and Empress of Japan, who are making a three-day state visit to the UK.

Sir Keir Starmer has leant his support to the England football team amid criticism from veteran former players of their performance so far at the Euros.

Asked by broadcaster Talk whether he agreed with criticisms made by Gary Lineker and Alan Shearer among others, the Labour leader said: "I back the England team on this I think look, they're in the middle of this competition.

"A really important game is coming up. Let's just get behind the team.

"You know, we've done this before. England. We sort of never, I don't think, have a particularly great start to these competitions.

"But then we click, we pull together. It's a fantastic team and I am going to back them all the way."

Nigel Farage has uploaded a new election attack ad, savaging both the Tories and Labour who he warns will not stop small boat crossings.

He pledges that Reform UK will stop the boats.

Victoria Atkins has not ruled out running to be leader of the Conservative Party after the General Election.

The Health Secretary is seen as a possible contender to replace Rishi Sunak should he lead the Tories to defeat on July 4 as expected.

She joins other hopefuls - including Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch and Home Secretary James Cleverly - in jostling for the position with nine days to go until polling day.

Asked about her leadership ambitions, Ms Atkins told reporters in London: "I'm not entertaining any questions about my leadership. Come on. I want to campaign at the moment."

Sir Keir Starmer said migrants were not "queuing up in Calais" to wait for a Labour government to be elected.

He said: "They're not queuing up in Calais, they're getting in boats and coming over.

"We've had record numbers this year. So, I mean, the Prime Minister really needs to answer for that. Under his watch, we have had record numbers, record numbers coming by boat, we've got record numbers of migrants coming to work in this country.

"So that's the situation - we intend to stop that by taking down the gangs that are running this bar trade in the first place. And if the Government had done that, we wouldn't be having this discussion at all."

Asked what his numerical target is for reducing net migration, the Labour leader said: "We want to bring it down substantially. I'm not going to put an arbitrary number on it."

He added: "That means working with businesses on this to make sure we've got the skills in place so that the skills are available in this country, don't have to always be recruited from abroad. What I've said to business, because they've asked me the same question, is, I want you to work with me to bring it down with the skills strategy. I'm not going to cut your legs off."

Responding to the Conservative Party's decision to withdraw support for its candidates Craig Williams and Laura Saunders, Labour’s Shadow Paymaster General Jonathan Ashworth said: “It is yet another example of Rishi Sunak’s staggeringly weak leadership that it has taken him nearly two weeks to see what was obvious to everyone else. The Conservatives who sought to line their own pockets by betting on the election date are not fit to be candidates for parliament.

“Rishi Sunak now needs to come clean with voters across the country and tell them exactly how many of his Conservatives are implicated and who they are.

“Just as with Partygate and the PPE scandal, the Conservatives believe it is one rule for them, another for everyone else. Change is in the hands of people across the country: but to get it, they have to vote Labour on July 4.”

The Tories have withdrawn support from candidates Craig Williams and Laura Saunders after they were implicated in the General Election betting row.

Mr Williams, who was the Prime Minister's parliamentary aide and is running in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, and Ms Saunders, who is standing in Bristol North West, will no longer have the support of the party.

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."

Scottish paper The Daily Record has come out to back the Labour Party, the third paper endorsement of the election.

The Daily Record says they haven't backed one party at a General Election in 14 years, but argues next week is "about setting Scotland and the UK on a different path, based on prosperity and fairness".

"Change is coming and Scots should be part of that by voting Labour."

The Daily Record is only the third paper to make an endorsement so far, after the Telegraph backed the Tories and the Daily Star endorsed joke independent candidate Count Binface.

Sir Keir Starmer has been joined by acting superstar Idris Elba this morning, as the Labour leader sets out his plans to tackle knife crime.

Meeting with families of knife crime victims in London, Sir Keir said Labour has a "moral mission" to half knife crime incidents within 10 years.

Mr Elba called for "joined-up thinking" to end the scourge.

Nick Robinson brandished a burger in front of the Green Party's co-leader last night, amid an eye-catching interview about the party's Net Zero policies.

He cited the need for cutting down meat consumption, arguing that to most watching the interview that would make them think of what they would have to lose from their own diet in order to save the planet.

He asked Adrian Ramsay: "Are you saying that to save the climate we've got to ban the burger, or make them a heck of a lot more expensive?"

The Green co-leader said neither of those proposals are in the party's manifesto.

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Home Secretary James Cleverly and Labour's shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper have both insisted they are best placed to run the Home Office during a live radio debate on immigration with LBC listeners.

Asked by radio show host Nick Ferrari why each should be trusted to run the department, Mr Cleverly insisted the Conservative Party "is committed to bringing down levels of immigration which have been too high" and that he had "already taken action".

The party was "committed to stopping the boats and committed to making sure legal and illegal migration are reduced and that's in stark contrast to the Labour Party", he added.

Ms Cooper said that after 14 years of Conservative government "it really feels like everything is broken", adding: "And the chaos has got worse and worse and worse. It is time for change."

The Metropolitan Police rejected allegations that it has been leaking the names of people being investigated by the Gambling Commission over alleged bets on the general election date.

"A source close to the Cabinet Office" told the Daily Telegraph Scotland Yard had briefed journalists about those being looked into.

In a statement the Met Police said: "The allegations that the Met has leaked information are simply untrue.”

A senior source added: "This is a poor distraction technique."

A senior druid and parliamentary candidate named King Arthur Pendragon has called on the public to choose him as their "champion" in Westminster.

Mr Pendragon is running for a fifth time in Salisbury, Wiltshire, and hopes to bring "spirituality" and the virtues of "truth, honour and justice" to politics.

Previously John Rothwell, the candidate changed his name in 1986 to match that of the mythical King Arthur - whom he claims to have a spiritual lineage with.

Mr Pendragon is also a pagan priest and, since the 1990s, has been head of the Loyal Arthurian Warband.

Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson has said he agrees with the frustration expressed by former Olympic rower and Tory candidate James Cracknell.

Referring to the gambling scandal engulfing the Tory campaign, Mr Cracknell said in a social media video: "And if one of my teammates got caught for cheating, they'd be dead to me" and also described the party as a "shower of ****".

Asked about the "frustration" expressed by the electorate and Mr Cracknell, Mr Tomlinson told Sky News: "That's right, and I share his frustration. I agree with the frustration that's being expressed, more than frustration, the anger as well."

Earlier when asked about the investigations into Tory members and aides, Mr Tomlinson said: "The lawyer in me knows that there is a process, there's the independent Gambling Commission. That's the first thing, and as the Prime Minister said yesterday, there is also an internal process.

"But this is important, and it's important that this happens swiftly. And as you say, anyone who is found to have broken the law or even to have fallen short of the high standards that the Prime Minister and all of us expect, that they should be dealt with severely as well."

People waiting in France for the end of the Rwanda scheme before coming to Britain is "evidence of the deterrent effect" of the plan, Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson has said.

He told Times Radio: "The deterrent is not fully in place, but we're already seeing the effects of that deterrent, and we've seen overnight the breaking news from the Telegraph on the front pages, where there are those who are in northern France, who are waiting, delaying their journey because they do not like the Rwanda scheme, they do not want to be deported to Rwanda.

"And people have been asking me for weeks, for months, where is the evidence of the deterrent effect? Well, there it is, writ large.

"We saw last month when the Rwanda Act was passed, we saw migrants moving from the United Kingdom into Ireland, we've got the evidence literally overnight, from those in northern France.

"And then, of course, if we vote for the Conservative Party on the fourth of July, the planes are booked, the airstrip is ready, and the planes will take off, and that's when the full deterrent effect will kick in."

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is unlikely to be campaigning today as he is attending a ceremonial welcome for the Emperor and Empress of Japan, in addition to a state banquet at Buckingham Palace in the evening.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and his Labour opposite number Yvette Cooper will go head-to-head in a debate on immigration on LBC.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to make reducing knife crime a "moral mission" ahead of a visit in central London, where he will meet with families of victims.

Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves will visit a Scotch whiskey bottling plant where she will pledge to give Scottish businesses stability and "the tools to succeed".

Liberal Democrat Layla Moran will visit Oxfordshire to launch the party's six-page mini-manifesto on care, highlighting pledges already made in the party's main manifesto.

Welcome to our live blog coverage as the General Election campaign continues. Follow this page for the latest news and updates.