Candidate in election bet probe married to Tory campaigns official

A Conservative candidate being looked into by the Gambling Commission over a bet relating to the timing of the election is married to the party's director of campaigning, the BBC can reveal.

Laura Saunders, the party’s candidate in Bristol North West, has worked for the Tories since 2015.

It is not known when the bet was placed or for how much money.

She is married to Tony Lee, who is the Conservative Party’s director of campaigning.

Ms Saunders has been approached for comment by the BBC and has not responded.

A Conservative Party spokesman told the BBC: “We have been contacted by the Gambling Commission about a small number of individuals.

"As the Gambling Commission is an independent body, it wouldn’t be proper to comment further, until any process is concluded.”

Mr Sunak announced 4 July as the date of the general election on 22 May, taking much of Westminster by surprise.

Last week it was alleged that one of Rishi Sunak’s closest aides, Craig Williams, placed a £100 bet on a July polling day three days before the PM named the date .

Mr Williams, who was the Tory MP for Montgomery until the election was called and is standing again in the new constituency of Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, has said he made a "huge error of judgement", but refused to say whether he placed a bet on the basis of inside information.

On Wednesday it also emerged that a police officer working as part of the prime minister’s close protection team had been arrested over alleged bets about the timing of the election.

The officer was initially suspended by the Metropolitan Police and then arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office.

The individual has been bailed pending further inquiries.

The Met was contacted by the Gambling Commission last Friday, which informed the force that it was investigating alleged bets made by a police constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command.

The watchdog was already looking into alleged betting offences connected to the date of the election.