Ex-Tory MP Craig Williams, Others Face 2027-28 Trials Over 2024 Election Betting Charges

Craig Williams, a former Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire and Cardiff North and a parliamentary private secretary to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has been charged with cheating by gambling on the date of the 2024 general election using confidential information. He faces charges including cheating at gambling and enabling others to cheat, alongside 14 co-defendants who are accused of placing bets based on insider information obtained from Downing Street and Conservative campaign headquarters. The defendants, including former Senedd member Russell George and suspended Welsh Conservatives director Thomas James, could face up to two years in prison if convicted. Due to the number of defendants, two trials are scheduled: the first in September 2027 and the second in January 2028, with Williams set for the latter. The charges follow "Operation Scott," an investigation by the Gambling Commission into politicians and Conservative Party employees placing bets on the election date using insider knowledge. Williams did not enter a plea at his Southwark Crown Court appearance, and an application to dismiss the charges will be heard in January 2026.