Conservative candidates/betting scandal have been sacked.

Yes, I believe insider knowledge is key. Sky News reports that the Labour guy isn’t in the same league as the Tory ones, for this reason.

The Labour candidate was downright stupid. He bet on himself losing in his constituency, which is a safe Tory seat. Unless it could be proved that he was going to fix his loss somehow, he’s just guilty of stupidity and lack of integrity. Still right that he should go!

The Tory people may have had insider knowledge of the date of the election, which raises things to a different level.

I think they should all be ashamed of themselves - whichever stripe.

Would the line be definite insider knowledge?

winterwhite

Well there can be degrees of corruption. IMO It would depend on how far these officers were from the origin of the information and the size of their bets.

Where would you draw the line in what’s acceptable and what’s not.

winterwhite

Well we live in interesting times. I suppose voters would vote for them as independents in the hope that if they win they would be allowed to take the whip once the dust had settled.
What other solution could there be?

It’s easy to understand people on the periphery and ignorant of gambling law thinking it harmless fun to bet a tenner or two once they’d heard a rumour of a July election. I hope we don’t see several policemen losing their jobs.

Seriously 🤦🏼‍♀️ Your saying that a police officer who broke the law shouldn’t loose his job.
If your not saying that you must mean that they didn’t know 🤷‍♀️
As the police would say to you ignorance of the law is no excuse
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.

Well there can be degrees of corruption. IMO It would depend on how far these officers were from the origin of the information and the size of their bets.

I really was shocked about the police one, it does look as if they were acting on insider information because of security connections

news.sky.com/story/five-more-police-officers-alleged-to-have-placed-bets-on-general-election-timing-met-police-13158631

I don’t think politicians or political aides should be allowed to make any bets on any political issues, but I agree betting on a dead cert based on insider information is reprehensible. As for the police involved, what idiots - somebody must have told them though?

and yet another? (hard to tell)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/czkk0d19kgdo

it seems to me the ones for the most substantial concern are those who used insider information

"hope we don’t see several policemen losing their jobs."

Why? If they're corrupt they deserve to lose their jobs. God knows there's enough corruption, misogyny, sexual assault and dodgy dealings in the force. Losing a few more can only be for the common good.

What on earth is going on

And another one bites the dust - this is getting really serious.
news.sky.com/story/election-2024-sunak-starmer-conservatives-labour-reform-lib-dem-12593360?postid=7872641#liveblog-body

Oops pressed too soon! Was going to say what a sh**show🙈

What an idiot!

At least he’s been suspended immediately by Labour. But that’s another constituency where people aren’t properly represented.

What a

Not sure about the Labour guy - sounds a bit of a numpty but nefarious? Unless he set out deliberately to lose to win a few quid.

A Labour candidate has been sacked now - for betting against himself. How bizarre. How many more will come out of the woodwork I wonder.
news.sky.com/story/labour-candidate-suspended-as-gambling-commission-launches-investigation-13158716

The only decision really. Was it worth trashing their future for the prospect of winning a few hundred pounds?

It seems Sunak has finally stopped prevaricating and recognised that keeping them on board was unsustainable after so much public anger.

Yes, reserve candidates would be a solution, though since we're supposed to vote for the person not the party that could create a separate set of difficulties as late in the campaign as this.

I think that when a candidate dies in mid campaign the poll in that constituency is stopped and rerun later with a replacement candidate, the others remaining the same.

It’s easy to understand people on the periphery and ignorant of gambling law thinking it harmless fun to bet a tenner or two once they’d heard a rumour of a July election. I hope we don’t see several policemen losing their jobs.

I despair.

winterwhite

Well we live in interesting times. I suppose voters would vote for them as independents in the hope that if they win they would be allowed to take the whip once the dust had settled.
What other solution could there be?

It’s easy to understand people on the periphery and ignorant of gambling law thinking it harmless fun to bet a tenner or two once they’d heard a rumour of a July election. I hope we don’t see several policemen losing their jobs.

A reserve list of candidates winterwhite, or the second choice in the constituency when the party chose the candidate, I think either of those options could work? I don’t think people would want to vote for somebody in the hope they will be innocent, when they may be guilty and you could be stuck with them as your MP for five years.

Obviously it's too late for them to be removed from the ballot papers but, as Casdon says, this does seem unfair on those voters who want to vote Tory.

What were they thinking? Certainly not about the good of the party - nor the electorate they serve.

As if the party needs more scandal.

Well we live in interesting times. I suppose voters would vote for them as independents in the hope that if they win they would be allowed to take the whip once the dust had settled.
What other solution could there be?

It’s easy to understand people on the periphery and ignorant of gambling law thinking it harmless fun to bet a tenner or two once they’d heard a rumour of a July election. I hope we don’t see several policemen losing their jobs.

That passed me by Wheniwasyourage, so now means there are at least three candidates not representing their parties, possibly more, not sure if any the Reform candidates were also affected. It just doesn’t seem right to me that the electorate can’t vote for their own party.

Douglas Ross is standing against, among others, a candidate no longer backed by Labour because of possible previous social media messages.

Yes Wyllow, I agree. It's good to see action taken over impropriety.