Senior Tories turn on Sunak as betting scandal escalates

Conservative Party’s data chief becomes fourth to be accused

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

Rishi Sunak is under mounting pressure to intervene in the Tory general election betting scandal, with senior figures calling on him to act. The prime minister has been urged to suspend all those under investigation from the party immediately and hold a Cabinet Office inquiry into the scandal.

Party chair Richard Holden, who is responsible for overseeing the Conservative general election campaign, has remained tightlipped on the crisis, while a former Tory minister and the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats are among those who joined the growing call for the people involved to be suspended.

Labour’s national campaign coordinator Pat McFadden wrote to the Gambling Commission asking the watchdog to release the names of all those being investigated.

As the deepening crisis threatened to derail the Tory election campaign for yet another week:

• Sources close to Oliver Dowden confirmed that the deputy PM had not bet on the election, adding pressure on other senior figures to rule themselves out

• James Cleverly did not deny that a cabinet minister was implicated, saying only “not to my knowledge”

• Michael Gove likened the situation to Partygate, with voters seeing it as “one rule for them and another for us”

• Labour’s Bridget Phillipson said there was “genuine disgust” among voters over the allegations

• The number of Tories being investigated by the watchdog rose to four – two candidates and two officials

• Anger grew that the police protection officer also accused has been suspended while Tory figures remain in post