Rishi Sunak has admitted he is “incredibly angry” over the betting scandal that has engulfed the party’s top campaign team.
The prime minister faced tough questions on the furore that has hit his faltering election campaign on a BBC Question Time special on Thursday night, which also featured the leaders of Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP.
With just two weeks until polling day, a string of people with links to the Conservative Party or No 10 are caught up in allegations about gambling on the timing of the July 4 contest.
The prime minister said the incident left him “incredibly angry” but he refused to suspend two candidates currently being investigated by the Gambling Commission.
Conservative candidate Laura Saunders earlier on Thursday said she “will be co-operating with the Gambling Commission” probe.
It comes as a gambling industry source said “more names” were being looked at over alleged wagers placed on the date of the 4 July election – in a crisis set to deepen for the Tories.
All bets off on trust for the Tories as election gambling scandal engulfs campaign
Alexander Butler21 June 2024 00:01
Jeremy Corbyn would have been better PM than Boris Johnson, says Keir Starmer
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 23:19
Sunak ‘extremely angry’ over gambling scandal but refuses to suspend candidates involved
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 23:17
Teenagers could lose bank accounts and driving licences for snubbing national service, Rishi Sunak says
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 23:00
Watch: Starmer applauded as he hits out at Sunak’s trans joke
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 22:39
Watch: Ed Davey admits he is ‘not proud’ of Lib Dems’s coalition with Tories on Question Time
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 22:19
Pictured: Sunak looked defeated at the end of debate
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 22:14
Watch: Question Time audience shouts ‘shame’ as Sunak says he is prepared to leave ECHR
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 22:10
Sunak suggests new sanctions for national service plan during BBC election debate
Alexander Butler20 June 2024 22:10
Analysis: Rishi Sunak finished like a man who knows he has lost
It is never a great idea to attack the audience members when you are a politician at the best of times. The “optics” as political strategists put it, are just not good.
But a terse Sunak went for four audience members at the end looking as though he had finally lost patience. It is that sort of shooting from the hip that comes when someone knows they really have nothing to lose.
In the Tories’ case they seem to have barely any seats to lose anyway given how many appear to have gone if you believe the polls.
Sunak started his half hour blaming his predecessors and apologising for those close to him. He looked like someone ready to blame everyone but himself.
In the reckoning after this election there will be plenty who will point the finger of blame at the awful way he has conducted this election campaign and lead up to it.
David Maddox20 June 2024 22:07
