Conservative candidates/betting scandal have been sacked.

It is good to see these people being shown in their true colours close to the election time. Perhaps those with very short memories will be reminded that there was a tory pm who lied cheated, made rules for covid that he expected everyone else to follow but not himself and his cronies. As to the reform lot, well out of their own mouths we hear their racist and disgusting attitudes to so much. How anyone could want to vote for them is beyond me. But obviously Farrage with his appalling attitude and behaviour is a magnet to other disgraceful people who I would be ashamed to have as a member of parliament in any area. I shall be voting of course as I think that we all should, whoever is voted in. If you dont use your vote you have no right to complain about what you end up with!! I remember talking to my son when he was coming up to school leaving age and saying to him, that it was his choice as to what he wanted to become and how he chose what subjects he might need for exams to follow his choice. That I would be proud of him doing anything legal just so long as he did not become a politician. !!! He has gone on to lead a decent life, earning his living honestly and caring for his family and friends. How glad I am that he is not a politician and therefore we can trust in his words and what he chooses to do, it makes me feel that I made a reasonable job of bringing him up!!!

dalrymple23

Does this really matter? Rather like the ridiculous Partygate fiasco. Of extreme unimportance in the great scheme of things.

Is this a genuine question? Are you seriously suggesting that number 10 staff breaking lock down rules, often while totally smashed on booze, doesn’t matter.
Using insider information to bet is a criminal offence -m arguably even more serious than breaching lock down guidance

Call me old fashioned but I expect integrity. Especially when we pay the wages

I feel pretty strongly about partygate, too. Two of my children had to cancel their weddings ( and lost money ).
I feel even more strongly about the lying to Parliament.

IMO it does matter dalrymple, particularly partygate! That showed a complete lack of respect for the people of this country. Johnson and his privileged inner circle thought it was absolutely fine to party together whilst the rest of the country adhered to the rules they had implemented.

Because of those rules, people didn’t sit with dying loved ones, knowing that they died alone. Can you imagine how that feels? To say it’s of extreme unimportance is insulting beyond words.

Does this really matter? Rather like the ridiculous Partygate fiasco. Of extreme unimportance in the great scheme of things.

Just posted on the poll thread.

Latest MRP poll has the Lib Dem’s as the opposition😄😄

How good would that be!

Queueing up forever in Booths (no self checkouts) the chat from the group of lads behind me was all about the betting scandal. Interesting the number of them who thought getting rid of the culprits was the right thing to do, whilst admitting that they’d do the same thing if they had background info, but they wouldn’t have got caught.
I have no idea which way they’ll vote. Do you think shopping in Booths has any significance?

Too many “backs” 😄

Watching tennis

LizzieDrip

I think KS was right to immediately suspend the Labour candidate for betting against himself. No, it may not be ‘illegal’ but it’s stupid. If candidates in an election bet against themselves, what does that say about their desire to win the seat and their loyalty to the party?

Why would KS want such a person as a potential Labour MP? Good riddance!

Yes. Starmer has said that he is determined to bring back integrity back into politics.

Desperate times call for desperate measures I think Dickens, but to be fair to Sky I did think that was a balanced analysis. The real problem for the Tories now is that they, and the media have cried wolf so many times that the public have stopped listening. If anything sinks Labour now I suspect it will be of their own making rather than what the Tories say. What I still don’t get though is why they don’t go for Reform more, at least then they would emerge with more seats, and some dignity intact.

Casdon

Dickens

Wyllow3

Dinahmo

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

I assume the L party know all too well it lays them open to guilt by association by the public and voters may not make the distinctions we have. Right leaning Red Tops, "they're it too", etc etc.

Oh, I'm sure the right-wing red-tops would have made the legal distinction quite clear when reporting on the Labour candidate, in the interests of impartiality.

Dinahmo

You could say that it's a bet he would not have placed had not Sunak called an election, and then you could go down all sorts of legal avenues of buts and ifs. But I'm sure you can work out why he did suspend him, and the reaction from certain quarters had he not.

Ultimately, he's in a catch22 situation isn't he.

Suspending him generates a "but-why-suspend-him-if-he's-done-nothing-wrong" from those who think as you do - and if he hadn't suspended him there would be accusations that Starmer was being a hypocrite.

So, either way, he can't win this one can he - he'll be damned because he did, and would be equally damned if he didn't. And I can't believed that you're not aware of that.

I wouldn’t describe Sky News as a red top in any sense of the word Dickens, and this was their analysis.
news.sky.com/story/scale-of-gambling-scandal-for-tories-is-different-magnitude-to-labours-issue-13158755

I wouldn’t describe Sky News as a red top in any sense of the word Dickens, and this was their analysis.

It wasn't Sky News I had in mind - rather how the Mail or Express would have worded their report had Starmer not suspended the candidate.

This, from Microsoft News gives me the feeling that the gloves are well and truly off, and the Tories and RW media will use all any opportunities to attack Starmer.^

Mr Sunak meanwhile is being urged to “go for the jugular” and launch more direct personal attacks against Sir Keir to turn round the Tories’ faltering campaign.
The prime minister has been warned he has not focused enough on the Labour leader and he needs to go after Sir Keir’s record. With the Conservatives still more than 20 points behind Labour in the polls, cabinet ministers have called for a change in direction and questioned whether the PM is comfortable enough launching personal attacks against his opponents.

If he, Starmer, had not suspended him, do you think under the present climate that it would have gone unnoticed? The Tories and the RW media are looking for any opportunity, valid or not, to discredit him.

I'm not defending Starmer, I'm disillusioned with him - I just dislike pretence, and in this case, the pretence is "oh, look, Starmer's suspended what's-his-name-why-did-he-do-that?"

Judging by the way his father's ownership or not of a factory/ his duration at CPS / Beergate, etc, have all been gone over with a fine tooth comb in order to find faults and inconsistencies, I'm pretty sure he did it to try to stall the media. It may not be on the same scale as the Tory gambling scandal, but I'm not ure such 'minor' details matter when you're going for the jugular.

I think KS was right to immediately suspend the Labour candidate for betting against himself. No, it may not be ‘illegal’ but it’s stupid. If candidates in an election bet against themselves, what does that say about their desire to win the seat and their loyalty to the party?

Why would KS want such a person as a potential Labour MP? Good riddance!

Dickens

Wyllow3

Dinahmo

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

I assume the L party know all too well it lays them open to guilt by association by the public and voters may not make the distinctions we have. Right leaning Red Tops, "they're it too", etc etc.

Oh, I'm sure the right-wing red-tops would have made the legal distinction quite clear when reporting on the Labour candidate, in the interests of impartiality.

Dinahmo

You could say that it's a bet he would not have placed had not Sunak called an election, and then you could go down all sorts of legal avenues of buts and ifs. But I'm sure you can work out why he did suspend him, and the reaction from certain quarters had he not.

Ultimately, he's in a catch22 situation isn't he.

Suspending him generates a "but-why-suspend-him-if-he's-done-nothing-wrong" from those who think as you do - and if he hadn't suspended him there would be accusations that Starmer was being a hypocrite.

So, either way, he can't win this one can he - he'll be damned because he did, and would be equally damned if he didn't. And I can't believed that you're not aware of that.

I wouldn’t describe Sky News as a red top in any sense of the word Dickens, and this was their analysis.
news.sky.com/story/scale-of-gambling-scandal-for-tories-is-different-magnitude-to-labours-issue-13158755

Wyllow3

Dinahmo

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

I assume the L party know all too well it lays them open to guilt by association by the public and voters may not make the distinctions we have. Right leaning Red Tops, "they're it too", etc etc.

Oh, I'm sure the right-wing red-tops would have made the legal distinction quite clear when reporting on the Labour candidate, in the interests of impartiality.

Dinahmo

You could say that it's a bet he would not have placed had not Sunak called an election, and then you could go down all sorts of legal avenues of buts and ifs. But I'm sure you can work out why he did suspend him, and the reaction from certain quarters had he not.

Ultimately, he's in a catch22 situation isn't he.

Suspending him generates a "but-why-suspend-him-if-he's-done-nothing-wrong" from those who think as you do - and if he hadn't suspended him there would be accusations that Starmer was being a hypocrite.

So, either way, he can't win this one can he - he'll be damned because he did, and would be equally damned if he didn't. And I can't believed that you're not aware of that.

Dinahmo

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

I assume the L party know all too well it lays them open to guilt by association by the public and voters may not make the distinctions we have. Right leaning Red Tops, "they're it too", etc etc.

Dinahmo

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

Good point.

I'm assuming it's not illegal to bet on losing your job - but maybe technically it could be considered as insider trading? I don't really know.

It doesn't look good though does it - even if you haven't broken any law. An election is called, and politicians are running around trying to make some money out of it, as opposed to focusing on 'the country'. A bunch of opportunists.

Casdon

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

But I assume that he wasn't insider trading? In which case why suspend him?

Alistair Jack made over £2000 betting on the election but has been barely mentioned. I don't see Sunak getting rid of him

That’s right Nandalot, Keir Starmer got rid of the stupid Labour guy immediately.

Thank goodness for decisive leadership!

Dickens, the Labour Party acted very quickly suspending Kevin Craig when he was found to be betting on the result of his constituency ballot.

I dont know why they cant just replace them with the 'next in line' in the said party.Yes it happened in Rossendale and the guy who had just lost out as the labour representative was not allowed to take his place but he IS now their rep for this election in july.

Wyllow3

According to BBC news night up to 15 Conservatives investigated in relationship to insider betting.

Yes the danger is "they're all the same, I won't bother to vote".

Of course what adds to the cynicism is the lack of urgency when these offences come to light. Whether Tory or Labour, a leader must take immediate steps to suspend and / or investigate - not wait to see how, and on who, the dust settles- giving time for the culprits to formulate their excuses and 'reasons', and the inevitable apology.

And the electorate do get bored with the procrastination because it dominates the headlines overshadowing matters that are of greater concern to it.

So in the end it becomes part of the "who cares" culture... "they're all at it anyway". It happened with Boris Johnson and the parties - in the end voters were suggesting that it didn't really matter because loads of people were partying, too.

That is the immorality of modern day government. If it makes rules for everyone to follow, it's got to abide by them too. And not cling on to oversee damage limitation and how long it can weather what will eventually be regarded by the public as a storm in a teacup which is what I suspect our leaders over the oast xx number of years, have done.

Can we not get back to the days when politicians messed up, owned up, and resigned to preserve the integrity of the party?. The moral bar code has been lowered and now the British public will accept law-breaking, cover-ups and lies.

If there's any decline in British values which some in government insist is now prevalent, they should look closer to home before making wild accusations about others.

According to BBC news night up to 15 Conservatives investigated in relationship to insider betting.

Yes the danger is "they're all the same, I won't bother to vote".

More and more of them being exposed. I can't see why anyone would risk their reputation and future on the chance of winning a few hundred pounds. Hope they wouldn't get caught, I suppose.

And a Labour candidate has been caught out......betting against himself!?!?
I bet Sir Keir could throttle the fool, but he'll be stoic about it. At least outwardly.
Sir Ed Davey must be crossing his fingers that none of the Lib-Dem candidates will be nabbed by the Gambling Commission.

I'm trying to resist the thought that the betting scandal pretty much proves "they're all the same!", because I know deep down that that is a lazy generalisation, but........