LONDON — A former British Conservative lawmaker who had access to inside information about when then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak would call a national election entered a guilty plea Monday on charges of cheating at gambling.
Craig Williams, who served as Sunak’s parliamentary private secretary, is among more than a dozen individuals charged in connection with a betting scandal surrounding the timing of Britain’s most recent general election.
While election gambling is legal in the United Kingdom — and wagering on when a prime minister will set an election date is a common bet — it becomes illegal when a person relies on confidential inside knowledge to place those bets.
Sunak caught many off guard in May 2024 when he announced the election would be held on July 4, as most political observers had expected him to wait until autumn. The announcement itself turned chaotic when Sunak was caught in a heavy rainstorm outside 10 Downing Street, and word quickly spread that several individuals with ties to the Conservative Party had placed suspiciously well-timed bets. Six weeks after that announcement, the Labour Party defeated the Conservatives, ending 14 years of Conservative rule.
Williams, 41, was present in meetings where the election date was discussed. He admitted in Southwark Crown Court that he used confidential information to place wagers. Prosecutors stated he placed three bets ranging from 22.50 pounds ($29.80) to 250 pounds ($331).
Williams, who lost his bid to keep his parliamentary seat in Wales, had previously acknowledged placing a 100-pound ($132) bet on a July election several days before the date was publicly announced.
In a video posted to social media in June 2024, Williams addressed the situation directly, saying: “I committed an error of judgment, not an offense, and I want to reiterate my apology directly to you.”
Prosecutor Zoe Johnson confirmed that three additional charges Williams had denied would be dropped at the time of his sentencing, which is scheduled for a later date. “He has now accepted by his plea that he used highly sensitive and confidential information to place bets and to profit,” Johnson said.
Other individuals still facing charges include additional members of the Conservative Party who were part of the government at the time, as well as a police officer. Those charges carry a potential prison sentence of up to two years upon conviction.
Twelve other defendants entered not guilty pleas Monday and are set to face trials scheduled for September 2027 and January 2028.
Also pleading guilty Monday was Amy Hind, 35, the wife of Conservative deputy digital director Anthony Hind. She admitted to cheating at betting and is scheduled to be sentenced on October 23. A separate charge against her husband for allegedly passing information to her was dropped.
