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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Tristan Kirk

Former Tory MP and Sunak aide admits betting on date of general election

  • Craig Williams, a key aide to Rishi Sunak and former Tory MP, has pleaded guilty at Southwark Crown Court to cheating at gambling by using confidential information to place bets on the date of the 2024 general election .
  • Williams, who served as Rishi Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary, admitted to leveraging his access to sensitive Downing Street and Conservative headquarters meetings where the election timetable was discussed.
  • Prosecutors stated that Williams placed bets of £250, £100, and £22.50 on the election date, having previously acknowledged a "huge error of judgment" regarding a £100 bet when the scandal first emerged.
  • Amy Hind, wife of a Conservative deputy digital director, also pleaded guilty to cheating, having placed several bets on the election date, including a successful £100 bet at 11-1 odds on a July election.
  • Thirteen other co-defendants, including Conservative Party officials, a Senedd member, and a Met police officer, pleaded not guilty to similar charges, with trials scheduled for September 2027 and January 2028 as part of the Gambling Commission's Operation Scott investigation.

IN FULL

Rishi Sunak’s former aide pleads guilty to general election betting scandal

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