Former Suffolk Labour candidate suspended for bet urges election gambling ban for politicians
Kevin Craig was suspended by the Labour Party for placing a bet on himself to lose
Last updated 3rd Dec 2024
A Labour candidate who placed a bet on himself during the election campaign says he was "badly treated" by the party and is calling for politicians to be banned from gambling on elections.
Kevin Craig was running to become MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich when he was suspended by the Labour Party for placing a bet on himself to lose.
He has been cleared by the Gambling Commission and is now promoting a Bill to bar politicians from gambling on elections so others "do not have to endure the same fate".
The Labour Party has lifted his suspension. The Gambling Commission said it had closed its investigation into him.
Mr Craig "acted lawfully" when he placed the bet and the gambling watchdog's conclusion is a "complete and total exoneration", his lawyer said in a statement.
The law prohibits placing a bet with inside information, but there is no law to prevent a politician betting on the outcome of an election in general, he said.
He said the Labour candidate had no inside information, no way of knowing who would win the election, and placed frequent bets on all sorts of outcomes and events.
"It is widely recognised that some people place bets against the result they wish to happen, for example, betting against their football team. Such behaviour helps cushion the disappointment of a loss," the lawyer said.
No investigation took place before Mr Craig's name was disclosed and he was publicly suspended from the Labour Party, his lawyer added.
"The first Kevin Craig knew of this matter was when he was publicly suspended and that should not have happened."
He said there was "no precedent" for such action by the party.
"We trust that everyone will accept Kevin Craig's exoneration and see him as the diligent, decent and honest man that he is. He has been badly treated.
"He will now promote a Bill banning politicians from gambling on elections in order that there is clarity and others do not have to endure the same fate."
Conservative candidate Patrick Spencer won the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich seat in the July election.
The Gambling Commission's separate criminal investigation into bets on the date of the General Election is continuing. That investigation is examining whether confidential information was used to gain an unfair advantage.
A number of Conservatives were caught up in that inquiry, including former prime minister Rishi Sunak's parliamentary aide Craig Williams, who admitted having a "flutter" on the election date, just days before Mr Sunak announced it.
The Labour Party has been contacted for comment.