UK basic election dwell: Scottish Secretary says he positioned bets on date however has ‘not breached any gambling rules’

As we speak is the deadline to apply for a Voter ID certificates or a proxy vote for the final election subsequent week. It’s essential to apply by 5pm.

A proxy vote is for somebody to vote in your behalf. Voter ID certificates are wanted for individuals who don’t have already got a legitimate type of photograph identification.

This would be the first UK basic election the place all voters should present a legitimate type of photograph ID earlier than casting a poll. The Guardian’s Andy Beckett wrote concerning the new rule in Could:

The Guardian’s Pippa Crerar, Vikram Dodd, and Kiran Stacey have revealed {that a} Conservative politician has turn out to be the fifth celebration determine to be investigated by the playing watchdog for allegedly putting a suspicious wager on the final election date, because the growing scandal continued to overshadow Rishi Sunak’s marketing campaign.

The Playing Fee has knowledgeable Russell George, a Tory member of the Welsh parliament who represents the identical constituency as Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide Craig Williams, that he’s a part of its inquiry.

The disclosure got here after the Tories lastly dropped the 2 Westminster candidates, together with Williams, who’re beneath investigation for allegedly putting bets on a July election, after beforehand standing by them.

George represents Montgomeryshire within the Welsh parliament, protecting the identical space that Williams represented at Westminster.

In a press release to the Guardian, George mentioned:

While I’ll cooperate absolutely with the Playing Fee, it will not be applicable to touch upon this impartial and confidential course of.

Doing so would solely jeopardise and undermine the investigation. It’s the Playing Fee, not the media, that has the accountability, powers and assets to correctly examine these issues and decide what, if any, motion must be taken.

I’ve stepped again from the shadow cupboard whereas the investigation is ongoing. I’ve finished this as I don’t want to be an pointless distraction to their work.”

In a separate growth, Labour was additionally drawn into the playing row for the primary time because the celebration introduced it was suspending the Central Suffolk and North Ipswich candidate Kevin Craig after the Playing Fee launched an investigation.

Craig, a lobbyist and knowledgeable in political disaster administration, confirmed that he was beneath investigation for betting that he wouldn’t win his personal constituency.

Labour mentioned it will now return £100,000 he had donated to the celebration beneath Keir Starmer’s management, whereas the shadow well being secretary, Wes Streeting, would give again £13,000 donated for staffing prices.

Marsha de Cordova, one other Labour candidate, additionally mentioned she would give again £2,436 Craig donated earlier this yr.

A Labour spokesperson mentioned: “With Keir Starmer as leader, the Labour party upholds the highest standards for our parliamentary candidates, as the public rightly expects from any party hoping to serve, which is why we have acted immediately in this case.”

In a press release, Craig mentioned: “Throughout my life I have enjoyed the odd bet for fun whether on politics or horses. A few weeks ago when I thought I would never win this seat I put a bet on the Tories to win here with the intention of giving any winnings to local charities.

“While I did not place this bet with any prior knowledge of the outcome, this was a huge mistake, for which I apologise unreservedly.”

He added: “It is right that the party upholds the highest standards for its parliamentary candidates – just as the public expects the highest standards from any party hoping to serve in government. I deeply regret what I have done and will take the consequences of this stupid error of judgment on the chin.”

Tens of thousand of individuals with sight loss shall be denied their proper to a secret poll at subsequent week’s basic election, campaigners have warned, prompting calls to make it the final inaccessible election.

The Royal Nationwide Institute of Blind Folks (RNIB) is looking on all political events to decide to take away limitations that stop blind folks voting on their very own and with out assist in future elections.

It estimates that 160,000 folks within the UK of voting age with extreme sight loss will battle to vote independently due to the dearth changes made at polling stations.

On the final basic election, analysis for the RNIB discovered that solely 13% of blind folks felt they might vote independently and in secret:

Good morning and welcome to at present’s dwell UK politics information with me, Helen Sullivan.

Alister Jack, the Scottish secretary and a Tory cupboard minister, revealed on Tuesday night that he had positioned three bets on the date of the final election, one among which was profitable, however mentioned that he needed to make “absolutely clear I have not breached any gambling rules”.

“I had no knowledge of the date of the election until the day it was called. As I have said previously, I placed no bets in May and am not under investigation by the Gambling Commission,” he mentioned.

The information comes as a Conservative politician has turn out to be the fifth celebration determine to be investigated by the playing watchdog for allegedly putting a suspicious wager on the final election date, because the growing scandal continued to overshadow Rishi Sunak’s marketing campaign.

The Playing Fee has knowledgeable Russell George, a Tory member of the Welsh parliament who represents the identical constituency as Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide Craig Williams, that he’s a part of its inquiry.

In a press release to the Guardian, George mentioned:

While I’ll cooperate absolutely with the Playing Fee, it will not be applicable to touch upon this impartial and confidential course of.

Doing so would solely jeopardise and undermine the investigation. It’s the Playing Fee, not the media, that has the accountability, powers and assets to correctly examine these issues and decide what, if any, motion must be taken.

I’ve stepped again from the shadow cupboard whereas the investigation is ongoing. I’ve finished this as I don’t want to be an pointless distraction to their work.”

Extra on this and different developments shortly.

Here’s what is arising at present:

• 9.30am: Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting on marketing campaign go to within the East Midlands. They’ll go to a GP practiceas Labour units out plans to finish the 8am scramble for GP appointments and produce again the household physician.

• 10.00am: Scottish Liberal Democrat chief Alex Cole Hamilton and Edinburgh West candidate Christine Jardine to go to Edinburgh Zoo. They’ll feed the sloths and tour the soon-to-be accomplished photo voltaic meadow which can assist energy the zoo.

• 10.30am: SNP Westminster Chief Stephen Flynn will be a part of the SNP candidate for Gordon and Buchan, Richard Thomson, on the marketing campaign path in Inverurie.

• 12:00: Scottish Greens Basic Election media name with co-leader Lorna Slater in Inverkeithing.

• 1pm: Reform chairman Richard Tice to offer a press convention in Grangemouth.

• 3.20pm: First Minister John Swinney on the marketing campaign path in Glasgow. He shall be with SNP candidate Carol Monaghan.

• 8.15pm: Head-to-head debate between Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer to air on BBC One, hosted by Mishal Husain.