Sunak under pressure to take action amid betting scandal

In a recent development, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has stated that he is not under investigation by the Gambling Commission amidst an ongoing probe into bets placed on the general election date. The Conservative Party, to which Sunak belongs, is set to conduct its own internal investigation into the matter. This follows reports that Nick Mason, the chief data officer of the Conservatives, has taken a leave of absence as the fourth Conservative official under investigation for allegedly betting on the election timing. Laura Saunders and Craig Williams, both Conservative election candidates, are also being investigated by the gambling watchdog, with Saunders' husband, Tony Lee, the Conservative director of campaigning, also taking a leave of absence. The scandal has cast a shadow over the Conservative Party, which is facing scrutiny less than two weeks before the general election. Sunak has vowed that any Tories found to have breached gambling rules by betting on the election date will be expelled from the party. The situation has drawn comparisons to the "Partygate" scandal that led to former Prime Minister Boris Johnson's resignation in 2022. Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called for an official inquiry, stating that people are fed up with such ethical lapses. During a Sun newspaper hustings event, Sunak expressed his anger over the allegations and pledged to investigate the matter thoroughly. He emphasized the need to handle the situation sensitively to avoid compromising ongoing investigations. The Prime Minister faced tough questions from the public, including a woman whose father passed away after a long wait for cancer treatment. Sunak acknowledged the need for improvements in healthcare services and offered his apologies for the family's ordeal. The situation remains fluid as the Gambling Commission continues its inquiries and the Conservative Party grapples with the fallout from the scandal.