Now LABOUR is dragged into political gambling scandal as party suspends election candidate Kevin Craig 'for betting on himself to lose' - while Rishi Sunak FINALLY suspends two Tory candidates accused of wagers on election date

Labour became embroiled successful the increasing governmental betting ungraded contiguous arsenic the enactment revealed it had suspended an election candidate.

Kevin Craig, who is lasting in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, is being investigated by the Gambling Commission.

It is understood helium is not portion of the probe into Tories and constabulary officers accused of betting connected a July election. Reports suggest helium is being investigated implicit claims helium stake against himself winning the seat, which had a 23,000 Tory bulk successful 2019.

A enactment spokeswoman said aft being contacted by the Gambling Commission the enactment acted instantly to administratively suspend him pending investigation.

She added: 'With Keir Starmer arsenic leader, the Labour enactment upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, arsenic the nationalist rightly expects from immoderate enactment hoping to serve, which is wherefore we person acted instantly successful this case.'

It came aft the Tories yet suspend 2 of their ain candidates this morning. Craig Williams and Laura Saunders volition nary longer beryllium 'supported' by the enactment 'as a effect of ongoing interior enquiries' by the Conservative Party.

Mr Williams this day admitted helium had 'committed an mistake of judgment, not an offence' and vowed to wide his sanction and triumph predetermination successful his Welsh seat.

Amid a deepening ungraded 5 much constabulary officers are besides being investigated by the GC implicit betting behaviour astir the day of the predetermination earlier it was announced, Scotland Yard revealed this afternoon. 

One of Mr Sunak's adjacent extortion officers has been arrested connected suspicion of misconduct successful nationalist office, but the latest individuals are not portion of the aforesaid team. 

In a video connection Mr Williams, the campaigner successful Montgomeryshire and and Glyndwr, said: 'I americium committed to my run to beryllium elected arsenic your Member of Parliament and your staunch champion.'

Scotland Yard said the 5 officers recently implicated successful the ungraded were from the Royalty and Specialist Command, the Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command and the Central West Basic Command Unit. None of them enactment successful a adjacent extortion relation arsenic a governmental bodyguard.

Announcing enactment was being withdrawn from the candidates earlier, a Conservative spokesperson said: 'As a effect of ongoing interior enquiries, we person concluded that we tin nary longer enactment Craig Williams oregon Laura Saunders arsenic Parliamentary Candidates astatine the forthcoming General Election. 

'We person checked with the Gambling Commission that this determination does not compromise the probe that they are conducting, which is rightly autarkic and ongoing.'

The determination comes after Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker broke ranks to criticise the PM's response, saying helium would person been tougher connected alleged 'disreputable' behaviour.

Mr Williams, Mr Sunak's erstwhile parliamentary adjutant and the campaigner successful Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, has admitted to a 'huge mistake of judgment' successful placing 'a flutter' connected the predetermination date

Laura Saunders is simply a campaigner successful Bristol North West and the woman of the party's manager of campaigns Tony Lee.

Because nominations person closed, Mr Williams and Ms Saunders volition some inactive beryllium connected the ballot paper. 

The party's main information officer, Nick Mason, is besides being probed and denies wrongdoing.

Mr Sunak had insisted lone yesterday that it was 'proper' to hold for the result of investigations by the Gambling Commission, the constabulary and the Conservative Party itself.

Keir Starmer swiped: 'Why didn't that hap a week ago?' 

The developments emerged aft Scotland Yard flatly denied being the root of leaks astir betting probes, which person been threatening to nonstop the Conservative predetermination run deeper into turmoil. 

The usage of confidential accusation to summation unfair vantage erstwhile betting whitethorn represent a transgression offence of cheating nether conception 42 of the Gambling Act.

Those convicted look an unlimited good oregon up to 2 years successful jail.

Mr Sunak has antecedently said helium is 'incredibly angry' astir the allegations, vowing to 'boot out' anyone recovered to person breached trust. 

Speaking connected ITV's Peston amusement past night, Mr Baker said: 'I would telephone them up and inquire them, 'Did you bash it?' And if they did it, past they are suspended.

'But the Prime Minister would person to reply wherefore helium hasn't done it, I haven't got wrong accusation connected wherefore the Prime Minister hasn't done it.'

Mr Baker was joining different Conservatives specified arsenic erstwhile defence curate Tobias Ellwood successful calling for the suspension of the 4 Tories alleged to person placed bets connected the predetermination date.

The Tories person been trying to crook to the contented of migration successful an effort to marque a dent successful Labour's persistently ample canvass lead.

Home Secretary James Cleverly and his Labour other fig Yvette Cooper went head-to-head successful a statement connected migration connected LBC.