Things could hardly have gotten any worse for Prime Minister Sunak’s British Conservatives, who are trailing in the polls – or so it was thought. But just two weeks before the election, things are continuing to go downhill.
The scandal involving the British Conservatives over betting on the date of the parliamentary election continues to spread. According to a report in the newspaper “Times on Sunday”, another member of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s campaign team has been targeted by an investigation by the Gambling Commission. The Tories’ head of data strategy, Nick Mason, has taken a leave of absence, the party confirmed according to the “Times on Sunday” report. However, according to a spokesman, he denied wrongdoing.
This is already the fourth case of this kind. Campaign manager Tony Lee had previously taken a break after his wife’s bets on the election date allegedly became the subject of investigations. A parliamentary secretary of state and a bodyguard close to Sunak are also said to have bet on the election date.
According to the Sunday Times, betting fraud based on insider knowledge is a criminal offence in Great Britain that can be punished with up to two years in prison. For the Conservative Party, which is already lagging behind the Labour opposition in the polls, the cases are potentially very damaging, especially politically.
Accusation: One rule for the Tories, another for the rest
They are reminiscent of the Partygate scandal involving illegal lockdown parties at 10 Downing Street during the Corona pandemic. Numerous government members and their staff were fined for violating the Corona rules – including then Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak, who was then Chancellor of the Exchequer.
At the time, the Tories were accused of acting according to the principle: one rule for us and another for the rest. Cabinet member and party veteran Michael Gove admitted that this impression is now emerging again. “This is the most potentially damaging thing that can happen in politics,” he told the Sunday Times.
Source: Stern
I have been working in the news industry for over 6 years, first as a reporter and now as an editor. I have covered politics extensively, and my work has appeared in major newspapers and online news outlets around the world. In addition to my writing, I also contribute regularly to 24 Hours World.
