Labour suspends candidate over gambling commission investigation

Labour has suspended one of its general election candidates as the party was drawn into the controversy surrounding betting on the date of the general election.

Kevin Craig, Labour’s Central Suffolk and North Ipswich candidate, has been “administratively” suspended after Labour was told by the gambling commission that an investigation has been launched into one of the party’s candidates.

The development comes two weeks after the Guardian revealed that Rishi Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide, Craig Williams, had placed a £100 bet on a July election three days before the prime minister named the date.

In a major U-turn, the Conservative party today dropped its support for Williams and another candidate, Laura Saunders, for allegedly placing suspicious bets about the date of the election.

Labour later said it had acted immediately to administratively suspend Kevin Craig, pending investigation, after the receipt of communication from the gambling commission.

“With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case,” said a party spokesperson.