News Desk

This week, a police constable from the UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s security detail was reportedly arrested for allegedly placing bets on the timing of the general election, as per information from the police shared with CNN.

The officer was taken into custody on Monday under suspicion of misconduct in public office, as stated by a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police on Wednesday. The police were alerted by the Gambling Commission on Friday, June 14, regarding an investigation into alleged bets placed by a police constable from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command concerning the timing of the General Election.

Following the incident, the constable was relieved of operational duties, and the case was promptly forwarded to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards, which initiated an inquiry, the spokesperson confirmed.

This arrest occurred shortly after the Guardian newspaper disclosed that a close aide of Sunak had placed a £100 ($127) bet on a July election date before the prime minister had officially announced it. Craig Williams expressed regret for placing the bet, admitting his significant error in judgment and offering an apology during an interview with the BBC.

The police spokesperson mentioned that the Gambling Commission of the country is currently heading the investigation into “suspected betting violations, and our inquiry is proceeding alongside theirs.”

When questioned for a response, the prime minister’s press office informed CNN that they had no additional comments beyond what was stated by the Met police.

At the same time on Wednesday afternoon, just before the police issued their statement, Sunak’s Conservative Party shared a campaign advertisement on social media stating, “If you wager on Labour, you’ll never succeed,” accompanied by a video featuring a roulette wheel.