No Charges Over UK Political Betting
Author:
Jamie Smith
The Metropolitan Police has confirmed it will not be charging any UK political figures over bets that were placed over the date of this year’s general election.
No political figures in the UK are being charged over election bets. ? PublicDomainPictures, Pixabay
No Charges Over Political Betting Before UK General Election
No political figures will face charges from the Metropolitan Police after placing bets on this year’s general election in the UK, the force has confirmed.
In the build up to former prime minister Rishi Sunak calling the election, his own parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams placed a bet of ￡100 on a July election.
Various political figures including the Conservatives’ campaigns director Tony Lee and his wife Laura Saunders, who stood for election as an MP this year, were investigated by the Met.
While betting on political markets is not illegal in the UK – indeed, most major betting sites allow betting on the outcome of elections – it is against the law to gain an advantage by using insider knowledge. Nevertheless, the Met has concluded its investigation into UK election betting.
However, the force said in a statement the Gambling Commission, the UK regulatory body for betting, will continue to look into the matter. The Gambling Commission will look into whether anyone is guilty of cheating under Section 42 of the Gambling Act.
What Happened in the UK General Election?
The scandal over political figures placing bets on the date of the election dominated the news.
It later emerged that several people who stood as candidates had also placed bets on the outcome of the vote.
When the ballots were all counted, the Conservatives lost power and Labour took charge.
Here are the final results from the 2024 general election in the UK:
- Labour – 412 seats
- Conservatives – 121 seats
- Liberal Democrats – 72 seats
- Scottish National Party – 9 seats
- Sinn Fein – 7 seats
- Others – 29 seats
Why the Investigation Into Political Betting Came to Nothing
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) advised the Met that the evidence that had been gathered in the investigation did not meet the “high bar” to prove misconduct.
Det Supt Katherine Goodwin of the Metropolitan Police said in a statement it was “right” to investigate whether crimes had been committed, while saying a “dent” in public confidence had been caused by the incident.
Here is her full statement:
“While our involvement in the criminal investigation now ceases, it’s important that it is not misinterpreted as an all clear for those whose cases were looked at. There are still Gambling Act offences to consider and it is appropriate that they are taken forward by investigators from the Gambling Commission who have particular expertise in this field. Seven police officers who are alleged to have placed bets are still among those being investigated by the Gambling Commission. They also remain under investigation by the Met’s directorate of professional standards.”– Katherine Goodwin, Metropolitan Police
