Election latest: 'I certainly haven't bet myself' says minister as scandal engulfs Tory campaign (2024)

The Conservative Party is seen as "tawdry", Ruth Davidson has said, as two of its candidates are being investigated over alleged bets placed on the election date.

The Gambling Commission islooking into two Tory candidates over alleged wagerson the date of the 4 July election.

An industry source has told Sky News that "more names" are being looked into, but police are so far "not involved".

Speaking on theElectoral Dysfunctionpodcast with Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, and former broadcaster and presenter Carol Vorderman, the former leader of the Scottish Tories waded into the fallout of the alleged betting scandal.

"What an absolute sh*t show. Firstly, I mean, how tawdry is it?" she said.

She described it as akin to "insider trading" and criticised Rishi Sunak's response, saying he had repeatedly failed to get out in front and take control of events.

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Welsh Labour's manifesto launch kicks off in Wrexham with words from the party's former leader Neil Kinnock.

Mr Kinnock is welcomed with a warm round of applause and he wastes little time attacking the Conservatives on their economic policy and "crashing the economy" with a "mad budget".

"That's not national prudence," Mr Kinnock says, "that's national pillage".

Introducing Rachel Reeves, Mr Kinnock says he understands why the shadow chancellor can't make economic promises without saying where the money is coming from.

"Her caution is not fear or lack of ambition," he says.

"In the conditions that Labour will inherit in our country right now, caution is common sense. Caution is the truth. Caution is honesty, not fear."

Ms Reeves starts by telling the crowd about her connections to Wales and the family she has living in the country.

She says: "I love Wales (..) but I know that, to really prosper, Wales needs to change."

Ms Reeves says Labour has a costed plan for Wales, unlike the Conservatives who "disrespect devolution and disregards Welsh interest".

She says that Britain, and Wales, faces a "simple choice" in less than two weeks.

"[You face] five more years of Tory chaos and the decline it brings or a changed Labour Party, restoring stability and fighting every day for the interests of working people," she says.

Shadow secretary of state for Wales Jo Stevens follows, telling those in attendance that the foundation of Welsh Labour's offer to voters "is a changed relationship between Wales and Westminster".

She says: "We'll enhance protection for Welsh devolution, so no UK government can ride roughshod over it in the way that the Conservatives repeatedly have.

"We'll explore new powers over youth justice and probation, and decisions about structural funds spent in Wales will be made in Wales once again."

Ms Stevens also reaffirms Welsh Labour's commitment to the steel industry in Wales.

She says she will not allow Port Talbot Steelworks to close, avoiding the "decades of scarring" caused by the closure of Shotton steelworks in 1980.

Vaughan Gething then takes to the stage and speaks about the Llay Miners Welfare Institute building that Welsh Labour have launched their manifesto in this morning.

"The history of this building and the mining community that it once served, goes to the very core of the promise being made to the people of Wales today," he says.

"The institute was built through miners contributions. A penny a week. A proud community investing in their future."

Mr Gething goes on to talk about Gwaith Tech, Welsh Labour's work plan for the country that, he says, "will help us to deliver better pay, protection and progression for Welsh workers to build on the best practices of our best businesses".

We're about to hear from Welsh Labour as they launch their manifesto.

We'll be hearing from Neil Kinnock, Rachel Reeves, Jo Stevens and Vaughan Gething.

Stay tuned for the latest updates from Wales.

Watch live on Sky News, in the stream above, at the link below - and follow live updates here in the Politics Hub.

An audience member from last night's Question Time election special has once again accused Rishi Sunak of putting words in her mouth.

Lateisha Holland drew praise on social media for standing up to the PM after his answer on whether the Conservatives would consider leaving the European Convention on Human Rights.

"You and I disagree on that," said Mr Sunak. "You think it's fine for people to come and they shouldn't be removed - that's your decision.

"I don't think that's right for our country and that's why I'm prepared to do what it takes it get this problem resolved."

Host Fiona Bruce then gave Ms Holland the chance to respond to the PM's claims.

She responded: "I said 'are you considering leaving the ECHR?'

"You're just putting words in my mouth there."

By Alix Culbertson, political reporter

The Gambling Commission has said it is looking into allegations around bets made on the date of the election.

The commission is looking into Laura Saunders, the Conservative candidate for Bristol North West.

It comes after Rishi Sunak's close parliamentary aide Craig Williams, the Tory candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, was revealed to have placed a bet on a July election date three days before it was announced.

And the prime minister's close protection officer has been arrested and suspended over alleged bets about the timing of the election.

There are strict rules around gambling, with the latest laws updated in the Gambling Act 2005.

Gamblers are not allowed to use inside information to place a bet or to instruct someone else to do so on their behalf.

They are also not allowed to pass inside information on to someone else which they use for betting.

Section 42 of the act deals with cheating and says a person commits an offence if they cheat at gambling or do "anything for the purpose of enabling or assisting another person to cheat at gambling".

It adds: "It is immaterial whether a person who cheats improves his changes of winning anything, or wins anything."

Someone found guilty of cheating can be imprisoned for a maximum of two years and/or fined, or six months in prison for a lesser offence.

Norman Phillips and his wife Ros – who lives with multiple sclerosis and dementia - are the human faces of the social care crisis.

Initially Norman was able to combine work with his caring responsibilities but as Ros's condition worsened, he took early retirement.

The couple found help hard to come by and after Norman suffered an injury, they were forced to sell their home to settle care-related debts.

Ros is now subject to an NHS continuing healthcare plan after Norman suffered a breakdown earlier this year and authorities decided he was unable to carry on caring for his wife.

This includes round the clock care for Ros – something Norman says wouldn't have been needed if a lower level of help had been made available earlier.

He said: "They've got six million of us unpaid carers. If they… help us, we can help the system.

"But what's happened to me, you know, is the system just kept backing away and backing away until I cracked."

Read political correspondent Rob Powell's full report below.

Our deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard are back with their guide to the election day ahead.

This is day 30 of the campaign. Jack and Sam discuss the betting scandal clouding the Tory campaign, last night's Question Time and Labour's Rachel Reeves opening up.

👉Tap here to follow Politics at Jack and Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

David TC Davies, the Welsh secretary, has been on Sky News this morning, and he said he wanted to "put on record" he did not bet on the date of the election as a gambling scandal engulfs the Tory campaign.

He said it was "totally unacceptable" if people were found to have broken the rules and such individuals should be "kicked out of the Conservative Party".

Allegations of "insider trading" threatened to overshadow the launch of the Welsh Conservative manifesto later today, which Mr Sunak is attending.

The prime minister has said he is "incredibly angry" about the accusations and that any wrongdoers "should face the full force of the law".

Conservative candidate Laura Saunders said she "will be co-operating with the Gambling Commission" probe, while her husband, the Tories' director of campaigning, Tony Lee, took a leave of absence amid reports the couple were being investigated by the gambling regulator.

It came after the arrest of one of the prime minister's police protection officers and the previous revelation of a Gambling Commission investigation into his parliamentary aide, Craig Williams.

Labour and the Lib Dems have called on the Tories to suspend both Ms Saunders and Mr Williams, who is standing in Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr.

Mr Davies said: "I just want to put on record that I certainly haven't bet myself, I haven't made any bets on anything for many years.

"I didn't know the election was coming until probably the morning... and I've no idea who - if anyone - has placed any bets and what further investigation is going on.

"What I will say, I will repeat the prime minister's words - it's totally unacceptable if people have broken the rules in any way.

"There is an investigation going on by the Gambling Commission and I welcome that, and anyone who is found to have broken the rules will be kicked out of the Conservative Party."

Pressed over former Tory minister Chris Skidmore saying he will vote Labour because of Mr Sunak's approach to net zero, Mr Davies said he was "not in the least bit bothered about it".

He said: "I know that Chris has become a bit, you know, distracted because of the work he's doing for the renewable industry, I believe.

"So, perhaps that’s also impacted on his political views now he's become much more interested in working in industry."

The Conservative Party is seen as "tawdry", Ruth Davidson has said, as two of its candidates are being investigated over alleged bets placed on the election date.

The Gambling Commission islooking into two Tory candidates over alleged wagerson the date of the 4 July election.

An industry source has told Sky News that "more names" are being looked into, but police are so far "not involved".

Speaking on theElectoral Dysfunctionpodcast with Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, and former broadcaster and presenter Carol Vorderman, the former leader of the Scottish Tories waded into the fallout of the alleged betting scandal.

"What an absolute sh*t show. Firstly, I mean, how tawdry is it?" she said.

She described it as akin to "insider trading" and criticised Rishi Sunak's response, saying he had repeatedly failed to get out in front and take control of events.

Read more below and...👉 click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts👈

It's the morning after the night before on the Politics Hub with Rishi Sunak nursing a metaphorical hangover after a bruising TV encounter with voters.

And there is no let up for the embattled prime minister as he is set to face further questions over the betting scandal that has engulfed his party's floundering campaign.

Adding to his woes, former leader of the Scottish Tories and Conservative peer Ruth Davidson has waded into the row, telling theElectoral Dysfunctionpodcast that it is an "absolute sh*t show" and "tawdry".

Hardly the ringing endorsem*nt from one of your own as the clock ticks down to election day.

Despite the dismal poll ratings predicting the worst Tory electoral result ever, Mr Sunak insisted he had chosen the "right moment" to call the 4 July poll.

Mr Sunak will be seeking to regain the initiative as he hits the election trail in Wales,ramping up warnings about handing Labour "a blank cheque" at the election.

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is heading to Scotland in a bid to build on his party's resurgence after claiming Jeremy Corbyn would have been a better prime minister than Boris Johnson.

The Labour leader will pledge a new industrial strategy north of the border will create 69,000 jobs.

Meanwhile, Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey is touting for support in Yorkshire and Norfolk as he continues his electoral efforts to scoop up traditional Tory strongholds.

He also faced tough questions at the BBC event where he was challenged over his party ditching their pledge to scrap tuition fees in the coalition government and his role as postal affairs minister in the light of the IT scandal.