'There appears to be no leadership from the top'
Pressure is mounting on Rishi Sunak to suspend Tory candidates embroiled in the betting scandal, as a fifth person has been brought into the investigation.
The scandal has escalated just 10 days from polling day, after the party’s chief data officer Nick Mason has also been identified as part of the Gambling Commission’s investigation, along with two Conservative candidates and a police protection officer.
Mason has taken a leave of absence amid the allegations of placing bets on when the general election would be. Meanwhile Rishi Sunak has been accused of lacking leadership as pressure grows to suspend the officials and candidates linked to the allegations.
Former Tory Whip Anne Milton told Times Radio that the betting allegations suggest “there appears to be no leadership from the top”. She said that in any other workplace the employees would be suspended while being investigated.
Milton said: “Suspension is the right thing to do while people are investigated. It’s harsh if the allegations are found not to be true, but that is what would happen in any other sphere of work.”
Conservative candidate Tobias Ellwood told the BBC 4 Today show this morning that Rishi Sunak should remove the candidates involved.
“It’s so frustrating, with ten days to go. We’ve got to get back on point, let the Gambling Commission get on with their job. Anyone that’s broken the law should definitely be removed from the party.”
When pressed on whether Sunak should have suspended the two candidates, Ellwood said, “given the scale of this.. I would now agree.” He added, “the public want to see clear, robust action now.”
Furthermore, Former Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told journalist Lewis Goodall on LBC that the conservative officials being investigated should be suspended pending the outcome of the inquiry. He said there should be “consistency” with the police officer who has been suspended.
It comes as Michael Gove said the election betting row is as damaging to the Conservatives as partygate. Speaking to the Sunday Times, the Tory Minister said, “it looks like one rule for them and one rule for us … That’s the most potentially damaging thing. The perception that we operate outside the rules that we set for others.” Quite.
(Image credit: Andrew Parsons / Number 10 – Creative Commons)
Hannah Davenport is news reporter at Left Foot Forward
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