Prime Minister Sunak Under Scrutiny as Conservative Candidates Investigated for Election Betting

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is under intense scrutiny following allegations that members of his inner circle, including key Conservative candidates, placed bets on the date of the upcoming general election using insider information. Sunak, who is facing calls from Labour leader Keir Starmer and other political figures to suspend the implicated candidates, has expressed his anger but refused to take immediate action pending ongoing investigations by the UK's Gambling Commission. Among those being investigated are Laura Saunders, a Tory candidate in Bristol North West, her husband Tony Lee, the party’s director of campaigning, and Craig Williams, Sunak’s parliamentary aide. The scandal has added to Sunak’s challenges, with polls indicating a potential Tory defeat and with Sunak himself facing hostile questions during a BBC Question Time appearance. Despite the controversy, Sunak defended his decision to call the election, maintaining it was the right moment.