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5 months ago
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British media reported that investigations were continuing with officials in the British Conservative Party against the backdrop of what became known as the “betting scandal” on the date of the upcoming British elections.
The Sunday Times reported that the Conservative Party's chief data officer, Nick Mason, had been informed by the Gambling Watchdog that he would be subject to investigation, along with his colleagues, thus becoming the fourth figure from the party to be subject to investigation.
The newspaper pointed out that Mason was placed on leave until the end of investigations, following increasing allegations that members of the ruling party used internal information to bet on the date of the British legislative elections scheduled for July 4.
According to the newspaper, dozens of bets were made with potential winnings estimated at thousands of pounds, and two other candidates in the Conservative elections, Laura Saunders and Craig Williams, are under investigation by the Gambling Control Authority.
The head of the British Conservative Party's election campaign, Tony Lee, resigned two weeks before the election, after it was proven that his wife was involved in gambling.
Tony Lee also took leave after allegations he was also being investigated over alleged betting.
The snowballing scandal, which came just two weeks before the British elections, dealt a new blow to the Conservative Party led by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who is widely expected to lose the party to the opposition Labor Party after 14 years in power.
Sunak said this week that he was "very angry" after learning of the allegations, stressing that anyone found to have broken the law should be expelled from his party.
Meanwhile, Laura, a candidate in Bristol, southwest England, said that she would cooperate fully with the investigation.
Senior Conservative Minister Michael Gove condemned the alleged betting, considering it similar to the "Partygate" ethics scandal that contributed to the overthrow of Prime Minister Boris Johnson in 2022.
The issue of investigations began to appear in the media last week, after The Guardian newspaper revealed that bets made by Craig Williams, Rishi Sunak's closest parliamentary aide, were the subject of an investigation by the Gambling Authority that the elections would be held in July three days before they were called. .
The watchdog is also examining bets allegedly placed by Tony Lee, the Conservative Party's campaigns director who is now on leave, and his wife Laura Saunders, the Tory candidate in Bristol North West, to bet on the date of the British election.
One of the prime minister's police officers was also arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations that he had also placed bets.
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