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Rishi Sunak's tetchiness over betting scandal speaks volumes

27 June 2024, 20:47 | Updated: 27 June 2024, 22:48

The Metropolitan Police has been dragged - reluctantly, as I understand it - into investigating candidates a week out from the election.

Even 24 hours ago this was not the case - Scotland Yard wanted to take care of their own - the officers probed by the Gambling Commission - and no more.

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But as the days have dragged on, it's clear the issue has become more complex, and now gone beyond the scope of the Gambling Commission.

What has changed is a realisation by investigating authorities that they need to investigate whether some candidates may have broken the law on misconduct in public office.

This is beyond the remit of the Gambling Commission, which began the initial probe, and now falls to the police.

This means the prospect of mainly Conservative candidates, including the prime minister's closest aide, potentially being interviewed under caution, maybe even this side of election day.

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You could see how tetchy the subject made Rishi Sunak in the interview with the broadcast pool earlier today.

His reluctance to give more details about his conversations with Craig Williams, who was his link man with a fractious, rebellious parliamentary party, spoke volumes.

The prime minister will argue he has been told by the Gambling Commission not to comment, and as PM, commenting on police inquiries could be seen to jeopardise their operational independence.

However, Sir Keir Starmer and Labour defied Gambling Commission instructions to keep quiet about the investigation into one of their candidates.

There is no confirmation of an active police investigation into Mr Williams specifically.

With seven days until the election, the voters in his former Montgomeryshire constituency may feel they have a right to know the full facts before polling day.

After the high of Wednesday's debate for Mr Sunak, the endless repercussions of the gambling scandal are clouding what could be his final few days in office.