A former Tory MP has appeared in court over his involvement in the general election betting scandal.
Craig Williams, who gave no indication of plea, was among 15 people who appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday charged with gambling offences over betting on the date of the 2024 election.
The scandal over the alleged placing of bets on the timing of the election prior to Rishi Sunak’s surprise decision to call the national ballot early engulfed the Conservative Party’s campaign last summer.
At the time, Mr Williams was serving as Mr Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary. Russell George, the Tory Senedd member for Montgomeryshire, was also charged, along with the Conservative Party’s chief data officer, Nick Mason and the party’s chief marketing officer, Simon Chatfield.
Laura Saunders, who was the Tory candidate for Bristol North West at the election and her husband Tony Lee – the Conservative Party’s campaign chief – were also both charged.
The Gambling Commission said its investigation, which began during the election campaign in June 2024, focused on individuals “suspected of using confidential information – specifically advance knowledge of the proposed election date – to gain an unfair advantage in betting markets”.
The other nine people charged with cheating include a former police officer, the Gambling Commission said.
The row over gambling dominated debates between Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Sunak, with Labour accusing the Conservatives of failing to react swiftly to the scandal.
Mr Sunak, who has provided a witness statement in this case, had noted that elections would take place in the second half of the year but had not given a date.
Prosecuting on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said: “Operation Scott was an investigation launched by the gambling commission into politicians and employees of the Conservative Party, and a former police officer … who had placed bets on the date of the 2024 general election with the benefit of confidential or insider information as to when that date might be.
“The prosecution says that placing bets with inside information is a criminal offence, namely cheating.”
Before the July 4 election was called, planning took place at Downing Street and Conservative Campaign Headquarters, the court heard.
The 15 defendants are alleged to have placed bets based on confidential information gained from those rooms, or enabling others to place bets by passing that information on.
If convicted they could face up to two years in prison for these offences.
Twelve of the defendants indicated not guilty pleas.
On Friday, Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey; Russell George, 50; Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex; Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex; Thomas James, 38; Charlotte Lang, 36; Anthony Lee, 47; Laura Saunders, 37; Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne; Nick Mason, 51; Paul Place, 53, from Hammersmith, west London; and James Ward, 40, of Leeds, all indicated they would deny the charges.
Mr Williams along with Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond, West London, and former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, gave no indication of plea.
The 15 accused will next appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 11.
