The investigation, led by the Gambling Commission, is looking into allegations that individuals with insider knowledge of the election date may have placed bets in breach of gambling rules.
Former UK deputy prime minister Sir Oliver Dowden has been interviewed as part of an ongoing investigation into betting on the date of the 2024 general election,
Dowden’s interview follows those of other senior figures close to former prime minister Rishi Sunak, including former parliamentary aide Craig Williams and ex-chief of staff Liam Booth-Smith.
Sky News reports that Dowden (pictured) is not under investigation but spoke with police officers to assist in their inquiries. This interaction took place earlier this summer, and the inquiry is expected to continue for several more months.
The controversy began when Williams admitted to placing a £100 bet on a July election just before Sunak officially announced the date on 22 May.
At least four people are being looked into by the commission in relation to the alleged bets. However, the Metropolitan Police ended its investigation after it said the alleged offences did not meet the “high bar” to prove misconduct in public office.
Since then, however, the Gambling Commission has reportedly seized “hundreds of documents” from Conservative Party headquarters as part of the probe.
Former prime minister Sunak has not yet been interviewed, but numerous other party officials have been questioned, according to Sky News.
Several commentators have raised concerns about the timing of the leak regarding Dowden’s interview, noting that it coincided with the opening day of the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham.
Additionally, reports indicate that numerous individuals have been interviewed as part of the investigation, with the simple aim of uncovering the truth.
The investigation of the Gambling Commission is ongoing, with further developments expected in the coming months.
New study
Meanwhile, a new survey by OLBG and YouGov revealed that 76% of the British public believe politicians should be banned from gambling on political markets following the general election controversy. Additionally, 60% of respondents think all politicians should be required to declare their gambling activities.
Nearly half (46%) of those surveyed also said that any politician found to have used insider knowledge for betting on politics should be barred from holding public office.
“While politicians are also private citizens and should enjoy a reasonable amount of privacy, as members of public office they are meant to serve the best interests of the public,” said OLBG CEO Richard Moffat.
“As a result they are held to a high standard, and if those involved have used insider information for financial gain, even at a token amount, it may have far-reaching consequences,” he added.
The survey sampled a diverse range of voters from the Conservative, Labour, Liberal Democrat, and Reform parties to remove political bias. The survey was conducted online by YouGov between 15 and 16 August and included 2,273 adults in the UK. The figures are weighted to be representative of all UK adults aged 18 and over.
