Former Labour candidate accuses Gambling Commission of influencing election

Former Labour candidate Kevin Craig said he had placed an 800 pound bet that he would lose the election in which he stood as an MP in June 2024. He now argues that the UK regulator, the Gambling Commission, opened an investigation into this bet and leaked it to the press, changing the result of a democratic election.

Craig had admitted that he bet the Conservatives would win the constituency. He said he made the bet at a time when he thought he would lose, and that he planned to donate the money to a charity if he won. He said he had staked 800 pounds with the aim of winning 400 pounds. He described the episode as a "big mistake" and apologised for it.

Labour suspended Craig minutes after hearing from the Commission on 25 June 2024. It is reported that Craig was therefore suspended nine days before the general election. Craig wants the Culture, Media and Sport Committee to examine the Commission's "effectiveness and professionalism". He says the regulator has "gone out of control" and could harm other candidates too.

His campaign argues that the media coverage of the investigation cost Labour the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich constituency. Craig lost the seat to the Conservative Patrick Spencer by 4,290 votes. The Conservatives had won the seat in 2019 by a majority of 23,391 votes under the previous boundaries. Labour's vote share in the constituency rose only slightly in 2024.

Craig bases his claim on results in constituencies with a similar demographic profile and on internal polling. He also argues that the Commission's letter, which in 2024 accused him in writing of cheating, should have been sent only to him, and that the letter was leaked to the press nine days before the general election.

His candidacy was controversial from the start. Craig was the only candidate on the list, and criticism followed when it emerged that he had donated 100,000 pounds to Labour, with some claiming he had bought his candidacy.