Big names within conservative British party involved in gambling scandal
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25 Jun 2024 •
Reading time: 2 minutes The United Kingdom’s Conservative Party has once again been embroiled in a gambling scandal. The British gambling regulator is currently investigating Nick Mason, the party’s data chief, The Sunday Times reports.
Mason is said to have repeatedly bet on the election date, possibly with insider knowledge, which is punishable under the Gaming Act. Although the amounts were always less than 100 British pounds (almost 120 euros), the joint bets could have earned Mason thousands of pounds.
Denial and leave
The Conservative Party has confirmed that Mason is on leave. Mason himself denies that he did anything wrong. This new investigation follows hot on the heels of reports from the BBC earlier this week about Tony Lee, the party’s campaign chief, who is also the subject of an investigation over similar allegations.
Scandals within the Party
The gambling affair gained national attention last week when it was revealed that an aide to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was involved in a similar bet. This assistant had bet £100 at a betting office on an election date in July, three days before Prime Minister Sunak announced the election would take place on July 4. The timing of the bet raises questions about possible insider information, as analysts and many MPs had expected the elections not to take place until the autumn.
Arrest of Sunak’s security guard
The scandal continues to spread with the arrest of a police officer who worked as a security guard for Prime Minister Sunak. This officer is also accused of betting on the election date, adding to concerns about a possible widespread problem within the party. Following these incidents, the British Gambling Commission has decided to thoroughly investigate all bets on the election date.