Another top Tory official investigated over 'dozens of bets placed on election' but denies wrongdoing
22 June 2024, 23:30
Another top Tory official is being investigated by the Gambling Commission for dozens of bets on the election date.
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Nick Mason, chief data officer for the Conservative party, is being investigated for bets placed on the date of the election according to the Sunday Times.
LBC understands that Mason has taken a leave of absence from his role while the matter is investigated by the Gambling Commission.
A Conservative spokesman said: "As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons."
A string of people with links to either the Conservative Party or No10 are alleged to have placed bets on the timing of the July 4 election before Mr Sunak announced it.
Conservative candidate Laura Saunders, who is one of the people being investigated, said she "will be co-operating with the Gambling Commission".
She is the wife of Tony Lee, the Conservative Director of Campaigns, who has taken "a leave of absence" amid investigations into the betting scandal.
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.
Speaking to LBC’s Nick Ferrari at Breakfast, Housing Secretary Michael Gove said that the investigations were ‘beyond embarrassing’ for the Conservative party.
Asked about how the inquiries reflected on the parties, Mr Gove said: “It’s beyond embarrassing, it’s wrong - it’s also the principle here.
“It’s not just a betrayal of trust in the Prime Minister, which is very bad, it also means that other punters are losing out because of insider information and that means the system isn’t operating fairly.”
He added: “It’s beyond bad to use information like that to secure an advantage.”
A Conservative spokesman said of the inquiry: “We have been contacted by the Gambling Commission about a small number of individuals.
“As the Gambling Commission is an independent body, it wouldn’t be proper to comment further, until any process is concluded.”
