A FORMER Labour candidate who bet against himself becoming an MP at this year’s general election has been cleared by the Gambling Commission.
Kevin Craig, Labour’s candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, admitted to placing a bet on himself to lose the vote in his constituency.
He told GB News that he had gambled £800 for a potential £400 payout that he would lose, which he ultimately did to Tory candidate Patrick Spencer.
Mr Craig was suspended by the Labour Party in June while the Gambling Commission launched an investigation into his actions.
He has now been exonerated and reinstated by the party with his lawyer saying that he had “acted lawfully” and the commission were taking no further action.
In a statement, Mr Craig’s lawyer said the commission’s decision was a “complete and total exoneration”.
“Mr Craig had no inside information and had no way of knowing who would win the election,” he said.
“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.”
Mr Craig is now campaigning for other politicians to be banned from doing the same after writing to Sir Keir Starmer with a proposed draft law to ban candidates from betting on politics.
He said: “I don’t want any candidate, whether they are Labour, Reform, Tory, SNP, Lib Dem ever to have their campaign killed off by a letter of accusation from the Gambling Commission that is subsequently proven to have no grounds.”
Remember to gamble responsibly
A responsible gambler is someone who:
- Establishes time and monetary limits before playing
- Only gambles with money they can afford to lose
- Never chase their losses
- Doesn’t gamble if they’re upset, angry, or depressed
- Gamcare – www.gamcare.org.uk
- Gamble Aware – www.gambleaware.org
Find our detailed guide on responsible gambling practices here.
For help with a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 or go to www.gamstop.co.uk
