Labour Party new betting scandal casts shadow on UK election integrity

The UK Labour Party has now also found itself embroiled in a betting scandal, potentially tarnishing its reputation. However, this incident may not necessarily level the playing field in what has been a particularly murky election campaign period.

Kevin Craig is in the race for the MP position in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich. This seat, known to be a Conservative stronghold, was formerly occupied by Dan Poulter. Poulter, an ex-Tory, switched allegiances to Labour before the election but has decided not to run again.

Labour has confirmed the suspension of Kevin Craig (pictured above) from the Labour Party. However, despite this late-stage suspension, his name will still appear on the ballot paper with “Labour” next to it.

Additionally, the party plans to return ￡100,000 in donations from Craig, which he contributed since Sir Keir Starmer became the leader of Labour.

Posting on X (formely known as Twitter), Craig shared that he had “enjoyed the odd bet for fun” throughout his life,

“A few weeks ago, when I thought I would never win this seat, I placed a bet on the Tories to win here, intending to donate any winnings to local charities.”

Kevin Craig, UK Labour Party general election candidate

Labour’s headquarters are undoubtedly in turmoil, but the situation for the Conservatives is arguably more grave. The election betting scandal, which initially targeted Rishi Sunak, has now caught up with a Labour candidate. This individual is currently under investigation by the Gambling Commission for his betting activities and has been promptly suspended.

UK Election 2024	Odds	??
Labour Majority	Best odds: 1/33 with Bet365 ?	??
No Overall Majority	Best odds: 16/1 with Bet365	??
Conservative Majority	Best odds: 80/1 with Bet365	??
Prime Minister After Next Election	Keir Starmer: 1/6 with William Hill Ris?hi Sunak: 5/1 with William Hill	??
Next Government Formation	Labour Majority: 1/5 with William Hill Labour Minority: 4/1 with William Hill Conservative Majority: 10/1 with William Hill Conservative Minority: 10/1 with William Hill?	??

This development might seem to balance out the scandals plaguing both parties, but it’s not that simple. The narrative that all politicians are equally corrupt is an easy one to spin, but the reality might be different. If the allegations are true, the Conservatives face a significantly larger hurdle than Labour.

Kevin Craig of the Labour party was immediately suspended after the Gambling Commission informed the party of the ongoing investigation. It’s reported that Craig placed a bet, not on the election date, but on his own loss in the general election. While this act can be seen as a gross error in judgement, as Craig himself admitted, it’s difficult to argue that he had insider information unless it can be proven that he was intentionally trying to lose.

Labour Party’s new upheaval

Although betting scandals in general elections are quite common, it is interesting to note that none were reported in the 2019 UK general election.

The Gambling Commission is under significant pressure this time around and will scrutinize the names of all candidates who placed bets. However, the outcome of this investigation remains uncertain.

The Conservative Party’s betting scandal is more convoluted and has been ongoing for 13 days.

Craig Williams, Rishi Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide and former MP for Montgomeryshire, admitted to betting on the election date, a date he might have had prior knowledge of. He denies any wrongdoing and is still under investigation. Laura Saunders, a Conservative candidate for Bristol North West, was also suspended for betting on the election date while her partner was working at the Conservative headquarters. For most of this period, Sunak maintained that he couldn’t suspend either candidate due to the ongoing Gambling Commission probe. However, under mounting pressure from ministers and opponents, he reversed this decision.

This raises questions about the Prime Minister’s judgement and his reluctance to act, in addition to concerns about the conduct of those close to him. The situation has caused widespread dismay within the cabinet.

Labour’s issues have hampered the Party’s ability to counterattack, but it’s unclear whether voters will perceive the two scandals as equivalent.

SiGMA East Europe Summit powered by Soft2Bet, will take place in Budapest from 2-4 September 2024.