Craig Williams has pleaded guilty to using confidential government knowledge to place wagers on the 2024 vote
A former Conservative lawmaker who served as the closest parliamentary aide to then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pleaded guilty to using insider information to place bets on the date of the 2024 UK general election.
Craig Williams admitted the offense at Southwark Crown Court in London on Monday, media reported, citing court proceedings. Prosecutors said he used confidential knowledge obtained through his role in the government to place the wagers before Sunak publicly announced the election date.
Election gambling is legal in the UK, and betting on the date the prime minister will set is a popular wager. Lawmakers are permitted to place bets, but not if they rely on inside knowledge.
Prosecutor Zoe Johnson KC told the court that Williams had been “given a privileged position” and “was party to a number of meetings” at Downing Street and Conservative Party headquarters where the timing of the election was discussed.
Williams later acknowledged making what he described as a “huge error of judgment” after it emerged that he had used confidential information to place bets on an election just days before Sunak unexpectedly called the vote for July 4. He admitted in court that he had placed three bets ranging from £22.50 ($29.80) to £250 ($331), prosecutors said.
The July 2024 election ended 14 years of Conservative rule, with Sunak leading the party to its worst defeat in modern history as Labour won a landslide victory.
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