Election betting scandal could be the tip of the iceberg | Robert Crampton

“If they’re willing to do this, what else is going on?”
The use of insider knowledge in the election betting scandal is “worrying” as it could be used with contracts and shares, says The Times’s Robert Crampton.
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[@piccalillipit9211]

*The penny just dropped for them* as to why the Tories are in power - CORRUPTION

[@BusstterNutt]

Some crimes, such as white-collar crime or juvenile crimes, are not reported in the media and so people are less likely to see it as a problem that requires reporting to the authorities.

[@delhog6161]

Labour are just as bad as the Conservatives are at this corrupt betting

[@factstrumpprejudice6740]

You mean the Tories are crooks! Who'd have thought?

[@briancohenthepfjmassive.4769]

Tory bankers and corruption usually go in the same sentence.

[@pat4brown]

They all do it I’m sure.

[@Bedwards42]

The fact that athletes are held to a higher standard than politicians when it comes to betting says a lot about the state of this country.

[@BusstterNutt]

Just goes to show after 14 years they've reached the bottom of the barrel.

[@trevorroberts9584]

The conservatives reached the bottom of the barrel a while ago. They are now in the basement and still digging. I have never been a Conservative, but in my 70 years, there were some Conservatives that, although I didn't agree with them on many issues, I could at least have some respect for. That went a number of years ago.

[@jsd8981]

​@@trevorroberts9584agreed...

[@glyndavies5479]

Its hardly surprising when a good proportion of the finance industry is based in betting.

[@raypickles537]

Sunak had a bet with Piers Morgan over flights to Rwanda

[@mikeb7379]

True.

[@delhog6161]

If you work for the National Lottery, you’re not allowed to do the lottery.

[@jsd8981]

So true...

[@timeforchange5727]

Corruption begins at the top and filters down how has sunak made 637 million plus profit needs investigating

[@alexperriman9298]

Oh for goodness sake... from abroad we just see the British people sleepwalking through a dystopian "Ingsoc nightmare" Unfortunately more and more citizens are blinking and waking up to reality. Not being able to pay my electricity bill never fkd white van (white man) idiots before. So this chit chat waffle is just not being even listened to anymore...you got holes in your socks or shoes??? I don't think so. So even highly intelligent people are not remotely interested in what you got to say. That's Revolution, peeps!! ❤

[@childofthe60s100]

With "this lot" it's not the tip of the iceberg - it's the tip of the entire Antarctic ice-sheet. Their whole philosophy, their raison d'etre, their mantra is "ME,ME,ME,ME,ME,ME etc"

[@Daveyboy1066]

After Boris Johnson, Richie promised to clean up the Tories but clearly Borises legacy lives on including the selfserving attitude and total disregard of ethics.

[@TrevorBarre]

Clearing up the Tory stables is an Aegean task, and Sunak is no Hercules.

[@BigSteve1965]

Why move on? He’s saying how it is!!

[@desmondkurtz1936]

How many damn icebergs does this government have???

[@bernardtaylor7043]

Nine tenths of them are still hidden!

[@tedthesailor172]

I wouldn't be surprised if his father-in-law owned a chain of betting shops...

[@jezdavis1865]

*Falls off chair in surprise*

[@dodgyscampton5668]

Sunak will be in California in time to enrol his kids in a school there before the new school year begins

[@jsd8981]

Yep and all his little chums will be left behind with the sticky tape...

[@Nickname-ef9tv]

To be honest, i would be happy with him caring for his children instead of impeding other people's chances to care for theirs.

[@willtricks9432]

Knowledge is Power the same way Money has Power. it is the abuse of Power that is wrong.

[@jeffersonwaters9970]

I've never forgiven them since the expenses scandal....just face it Britain, they're all laughing at us.....

[@jsd8981]

Yep sadly your right...

[@annishilcock4587]

Of course Keir Starmer should have gotten involved. He was scoring a point. That he took immediate action and handed back the money, which might bring into question why the Tories didn't hand back Frank Hester's money.

[@redemptivepete]

Good post 'might' should be 'must!'

[@sbrown314]

People with gambling problems can be open to manipulation and blackmail. Do we really want MPs to be susceptible to those problems particularly if they have access to national security info?

[@emszies8303]

Rember the mps expense scandal, the tgeybtried getting ppl with disabilities off welfare. rember partygate told everyone to stay home yet had parties at number 10 whilst ppl were dying. Also, that affair scandal , now betting scandal tories, are hypocrites, and ruhisi is out of his mind

[@almac8524]

Chorley and Crampton are forever interrupting Alice. It’s so irritating; particularly when his views are so vanilla.

[@timsimmons5953]

Sir Kier did not have to drop the candidate in this case as it was not insider trading but he did it to show control and standards. Unlike the standards introduced but the Johnson version of Tory party.

[@stephenhill545]

It was right.

[@CM-vv8cv]

Betting on an outcome you don't know is not wrong in my opinion, so the Labouir candidate is just unlucky to have been found out to be doing an innocent thing that could be easily manipulated to be a bad thing by Tories in a debate. So yeah, Keir was kinda right to nip that, de-fangs the Tory "you called us out for doing it but you're doing it too!" lie.

[@timsimmons5953]

@@CM-vv8cv Exactly.

[@childofthe60s100]

Starmer wimped out as usual and thought, that he's better do it - just to avoid further investigations. Calling him "Sir" is a slur on anyone who actually EARNED their knighthood. As will be ...."Sir Boris", "Sir Rishi"!!!

[@bernardtaylor7043]

@@CM-vv8cv Agreed. To bet on an event that you are a part of - particularly if you bet against yourself - is dodgy because you can try to "fix" the result. Conflicts of interest, no matter how trivial, are the seeds of corruption. In politics (and business) you should not do anything that could appear bad even if it's actually morally ok. Starmer was right to clamp down on a lesser misdemeanour as it was still of a questionable nature.

[@adamcunningham6008]

I don't get how people don't realise how much gambling is starting to infect society, creeping into politics to such a degree as this should be a wake up call to this issue ... But will it?.

[@childofthe60s100]

A reputable party (no such thing?) would ban all the TV adverts that encourage gambling, then cynically add "Bet responsibly". The only way to bet responsibly is to not bet!

[@yutawalker3005]

See the Tobacco Industry for your answer

[@jeffdingle9677]

People decided many, many months ago that they aren't voting Tory....

[@Thirteen31Music]

Betting against yourself to not win feels like a conflict of interest as you have direct control over your behaviour/actions. Could intentionally say or do something offensive or upsetting that you know will damage your chances of winning in order to ensure you loose. Just seems weird that a betting company would allow that to happen

[@musicbruv]

The most important election issue to date judging by the amount of airtime it is getting.

[@planestrainsdogsncars4336]

''HEY'' did you here the latest? Rishi Sunak is furious that MP's are betting that he would introduce a Poll Tax before the election.

[@childofthe60s100]

Did you here how to spell "hear"?

[@mikeb7379]

You've been far to kind or short sighted over Su(no)naks response to this? If he had acted swiftly and why not since one official admitted "having a flutter"? It would have come across as "integrity" and leadership, which he was supposed to have been all about if you remember his PM acceptance speech? But he dithered, showing weaknesses and bad political judgment and then sacked him/them although nothing had actually changed legally speaking. Except that he has prevaricated so long that he now can't even replace those standing on the election ballot papers. It's really bad political acumen. In fact it's downright stupidly.

[@Fraz725]

If you can bet anonymously, how can you ever stop it?

[@mikeb7379]

You can only bet anonymously if in a betting shop with cash. These chumps used betting apps and debit cards.

[@BusstterNutt]

Why is white collar prime so under reported.....?

[@philipwebb8297]

If you are part of a society that votes, then do so. There may be no candidates and no measures you want to vote for, but there are certain to be ones you want to vote against. In case of doubt, vote against. By this rule you will rarely go wrong. If this is too blind for your taste, consult some well-meaning fool (there is always one around) and ask his advice. Then vote the other way. This enables you to be a good citizen (if such is your wish) without spending the enormous amount of time on it that truly intelligent exercise of franchise requires. Lazarus Long.

[@BusstterNutt]

Why is white collar prime so under reported.....?

[@stephenhill545]

It was a 24,000 majority, basically unwinnable.

[@david-pb4bi]

You need to ask who would take that bet.

[@RealDareel]

WHY is the top story not Labour apparently selling a seat for £100,000? And then issuing an apparent refund after deselection! Tells a lot about the media 😔

[@charleswillcock3235]

The idea of politicians buying shares in a company which has just been given a large contract, smacks of insider trading, this is not just an issue in the UK but also America. It does not look good, and does diminish the faith the electorate has in politicians.

[@paulnewman2000]

The tories have never said they are 'suspending' these party members, only that they have 'withdrawn support'. Well, they have 'withdrawn support' from every candidate having less than a 20,000 majority in 2019, so they can focus on the seats that are still winnable. If they have actually 'suspended' these members, they haven't been clear about that.

[@iainyoung2715]

Will they look at these people's betting records for previous elections ?

[@BusstterNutt]

Why is white collar prime so under reported.....?

[@splatten8597]

Investigate them all!

[@paulnewman2000]

6:39 until that face pull at 6.58 'I can't believe, unforced, we've just said nice things about the labour party'.

[@EppingBlogger]

I am shocked but not surprised that neither of the guests nor the interviewer knew about the FCA and the FTSE listing rules and the law. These prevent insider trading. Unfortunately, while Sir Jeir Starmer led the CPS he fauiled to get convictions against people discovered doing it.

[@John-rh4vq]

Sunak paid 0.4% tax on £125 million paid £500.000 when the normal tax for the rest of us is 37% tax!!!!!

[@yutawalker3005]

It’s super important to note Profit (making money) and generating theoretical money that you borrow against (untaxable due to it being a loan not money actually paid) is the real problem. If we started taxing money they borrow against the theoretical money they have their wealth wouldn’t be inflated and they’d pay the same rate. I’m fine with them making insane legal profits off of doing real work

[@Keeree75]

Didn't Sunak give Govt contract to his dad in law's company "Infosys"

[@AndrewClose-oi6ct]

Danny’s prediction was wrong. KS dropped the Labour candidate within hours.

[@nickdoughty518]

Good point. You don't want a leader that the MPs don't want becuase they know their weaknesses.

[@trevorroberts9584]

Tip of the iceberg? Of course it is.

[@jonathankennedy1715]

Greedy cheating politicians we remember expenses scandal 😡😠

[@CountProsper]

Sunak was not chosen by the members, so blaming them seems a bit perverse.

[@gamingalien2965]

She works for them 100%, changing the tact or trying to

[@BusstterNutt]

Some crimes, such as white-collar crime or juvenile crimes, are not reported in the media and so people are less likely to see it as a problem that requires reporting to the authorities.

[@plebius]

I have heard no one point out, that the terms a d conditions of betting sites actively prohibit you from betting on events you are involved in. It does not matter if you are a sports star or not. Even if you get a fast food board game prize, it will be written on your token. No employees or family members of employees of said company can enter.

[@winternights2]

TR treading carefully over the BLEEDING OBVIOUS.

[@capt.bart.roberts4975]

"Worrying"!!!!! The Tories are a dead letter.

[@benwilson6145]

Sunak has his flights to California booked.

[@user-dc8sr2fx6v]

What isn't going to go down well is that many of these bets will have been made on the betting exchange which is a person to person platform where you bet against "Joe Bloggs" so in effect they are robbing the general public and not bookmakers. Bookmakers nowadays are loathed to take 50 quid bets let alone 8k bets.

[@BrapMan]

She is right, it is not what democracy should be, but that is because this is not a democracy it is a capitolistic political structure, and the "first past the post" voting method means my vote is useless in Liverpool, as Labour are always getting the seat whether my single vote is for or against them; and that same "first past the post" system leans into the advertising method of campaigning, where they only need to target a certain group, and it doesn't even need to be large group of people who they romance with their advertising bullocks.

[@atruthseekerwords1941]

Of COURSE ...hes f9ne it for his wife company many times

[@marialanchester8180]

I don’t know partying, now betting. They are shameless it’s all a game 😅

[@susanpettitt713]

But most of them are small amounts...go send it to the foodbanks......

[@dougtsax]

Can't you afford quality mics with a bit more power?

[@glynsmith4590]

Local Govt officers could be sacked!!!!!!

[@aaroninky]

betting is scummy, period. betting on politics is shameless.

[@peterbalchin9077]

Patterns of trading. Howbis that relevant please?

[@sysasst670]

Another nail in the coffin for the Tories.

[@Seeker7172]

The latter half of this talk is bizarre. Wait, what we need in political parties is LESS democracy by removing the power of party members to vote on the party leadership. Bonkers.

[@Rob-uv8bu]

I bet a Tory Wally will say loch Ness monster is a green member

[@pip1723]

After watching sunak tonight no wonder the country is in such a mess he's extremely arrogant and petulant.

[@philstabler]

£7500 pounds aweek , he’s lost in wedges for being greedy, having bet.him in wales.

[@intervention.07]

British socks and sandals behaviour alive and well I see. Destroying the hard work, pain and sacrifice of a millennium in under a decade would inspire a little humility and self-awareness in a healthy society, but not us. Singing 'Rule Britannia' at bemused passerby while begging for loose change. If we could at least stop projecting our thoughts and feelings onto others maybe we stand a chance. Its embarrassing, insulting and arrogant.

[@georgeallcorn6302]

what odds are available about what , how about., will Stalmer be prime minister in 36 months , make me an offer ,

[@neildonaghy123]

grubby

[@lionguardant5468]

Personally I think political bets should be banned. Trust has been broken.

[@barrybarnes2744]

Brexit hedge funding

[@BusstterNutt]

Some crimes, such as white-collar crime or juvenile crimes, are not reported in the media and so people are less likely to see it as a problem that requires reporting to the authorities.

[@northleedspoppa]

Kane is going to be threw on goal in final and rishi will run on bring him down cus he had Germany @ evens

[@kadarakursum2016]

Aviva insurance history /insurance industry barclays international bob diamond bid for barclays Africa, are there rival British bids, bonds/shares safe deposits since slavery and colonial times, who owns what since American Independence 4th July and banking in east Africa and commonwealth veterans frozen pension campaign assets and accounts

[@jsd8981]

Was that tory talking about morals, ....now its getting laughable...didden't think the tory's had a sense of humour...sure hope they have one after the General Election they are gonna need it badly...

[@ptkettlehatsandthegang]

7:09 Look I bet this comment won't get pinned or liked, reply and I'll do absolutely NOTHING.

[@willtricks9432]

I know where I live so be careful.

[@BusstterNutt]

Some crimes, such as white-collar crime or juvenile crimes, are not reported in the media and so people are less likely to see it as a problem that requires reporting to the authorities.

[@delhog6161]

This has been going on for decades and Labour are just as bad at this as the Conservatives are.

[@alanthomson1227]

Please quote examples so we can investigate .

[@annishilcock4587]

Really?

[@CBuxton-EX.HKt.D]

all Partys are the same vote Reform and change the House and sack the civil service.

[@alana8863]

Is there an adult version of this manifesto?

[@Cinthia-e5t]

This conversation is a testament to the power of women coming together.💚

[@BusstterNutt]

Some crimes, such as white-collar crime or juvenile crimes, are not reported in the media and so people are less likely to see it as a problem that requires reporting to the authorities.

[@musicbruv]

The most important election issue to date judging by the amount of airtime it is getting.

[@BusstterNutt]

Why is white collar prime so under reported.....?