Arrest of Officer Charged with Election Timing Wager Impacting UK Prime Minister's Security
Police officer under investigation for potential impropriety, Met Police confirms
News broke on Monday about a police officer being taken into custody on charges of improper behavior in public office, as reported by the Metropolitan Police.
On June 14, the Met were tipped off by the Gambling Commission about possible bets placed by a constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, whose wagers were connected to the timing of the General Election.
The officer was swiftly reassigned from active duties, and the case was forwarded to the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards for further examination, as reported by the agency's spokesperson.
The arrest took place just a few days after The Guardian published an article revealing that a confidant of Sunak had wagered £100 on a July election date prior to the prime minister announcing the date publicly. Craig Williams publicly apologized for his actions, stating, "I certainly made a huge blunder, and I express my sincere apologies."
The police spokesperson explained that the Gambling Commission continues to investigate alleged gambling offenses, and the Met's probe is running concurrently with theirs.
In response to queries, the prime minister's press office declined to offer any additional remarks to CNN.
In an unusual twist, on Wednesday afternoon, just before the police revealed their findings, Sunak's Conservative Party published a campaign ad on social media with the message "Bet on Labour, you'll never win," accompanied by a video of a roulette wheel.
Numerous social media users have since noted the arrest of the police constable who allegedly bet on the General Election.
The upcoming UK election will take place on July 4. Opinion polls show Sunak trailing by approximately 20 points, with the opposition Labour Party poised to claim victory for the first time since 2005.
Sunak's campaign struggled from the outset in June, as he was forced to apologize for abandoning the 80th anniversary commemoration events of D-Day in order to film a TV interview, which elicited anger and disbelief in Britain.
Read also:
The allegations against the police constable have raised concerns about the potential impact on the UK's political landscape, given his bets were linked to the timing of the General Election.
Despite these developments, the world is closely watching the upcoming UK election on July 4, with opinion polls indicating a significant lead for the Labour Party against Prime Minister Sunak.
