How many Tories wager on date of shock election?

A flood of bets was placed on a July election the day before Rishi Sunak announced the date, it has emerged.

The Prime Minister was under pressure last night after it was revealed that the gambling watchdog is investigating several senior Conservatives.

And questions were being asked as to how many more may be involved. The party’s director of campaigning, Tony Lee, took a leave of absence yesterday, with he and his Tory candidate wife, Laura Saunders, both under investigation.

Mr Sunak’s close parliamentary aide Craig Williams is also being investigated for betting £100 on the date at odds of 5/1. Earlier this week, one of the PM’s police protection officers was arrested over betting claims.

Ms Saunders said she was ‘cooperating with the Gambling Commission’. It is not known how much her bet was for or when she placed it. Last night, a gambling industry insider told Sky News: ‘Yes to more names [coming out].’

The Conservative’s director of campaigning, Tony Lee (right), took a leave of absence yesterday, with he and his Tory candidate wife, Laura Saunders (left), both under investigation

Mr Sunak’s close parliamentary aide Craig Williams (pictured) is also being investigated for betting £100 on the date at odds of 5/1. Earlier this week, one of the PM’s police protection officers was arrested over betting claims

The Prime Minister (pictured) is under pressure after it was revealed that the gambling watchdog is investigating several senior Conservatives

Last night, Mr Sunak told the BBC’s Question Time Leaders’ Special: ‘I was incredibly angry to learn of these allegations. If anyone’s found to have broken the rules, not only should they face the full consequences of the law, I’ll make sure they are booted out of the Conservative Party.’

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith branded those involved as ‘stupid and venal’.

Reform leader Nigel Farage accused the Conservatives of being ‘corrupt’.

Analysis of figures from Betfair, the world’s largest online betting exchange, shows almost £6,000 was bet in a just few hours on May 21 – the day before the PM surprised Westminster by calling a summer contest, rather than waiting until autumn as had been expected.

When the Betfair bets were placed, odds put a summer election at a less than a 25 per cent chance. Wagers up until then had not exceeded £500. But more than 90 per cent of the bets placed on July 4 were placed on May 21, when Mr Sunak’s decision to go to the polls should have been known to only his tightest circle.

Data from the Betfair Exchange shows that a total of £5,900 had been placed with the bookmaker on a July election before May 20. But on May 21 alone, a further £5,483 was wagered, including a bet for £830 that should deliver a £5,810 profit.

Cabinet minister Michael Gove admitted the situation ‘doesn’t look great’ for the Conservatives, adding: ‘Obviously, the conclusions lots of people are drawing are not at all great. 

Former Tory leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith (pictured) branded those involved as ‘stupid and venal’ and ‘whatever happens to them [if the allegations are proven] wouldn’t be hard enough in my book’

Reform leader Nigel Farage (pictured) accused the Conservatives of being ‘corrupt’

Cabinet minister Michael Gove (pictured) yesterday admitted the situation ‘doesn’t look great’ for the Conservatives, adding: ‘Obviously, the conclusions lots of people are drawing are not at all great’

‘The Gambling Commission are looking at Craig and also looking at Laura, and we’ll see what the conclusions are.’ The BBC reported that the gambling regulator was also looking into Mr Lee.

Labour called for the Tories to suspend Ms Saunders and Mr Williams, with Sir Keir Starmer saying: ‘If it was one of my candidates, they’d be gone and their feet would not have touched the floor.’

Tim Montgomerie, who founded grassroots website Conservative Home, told Times Radio: ‘Conservative members and activists are shell-shocked. It’s almost like every time we get up from the last knock to our morale, something else knocks us down. And I’ve had three members say they’ve decided enough is enough today – they’ve resigned.’

The Conservative Party said: ‘As the Gambling Commission is an independent body, it wouldn’t be proper to comment further, until any process is concluded.’ The commission said: ‘We are not confirming or denying the identity of any individuals involved in this investigation.’