In June, Craig acknowledged betting against his own success as a Labour MP candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich. Although he was suspended as the Labour candidate for the region, his name remained on the election ballot. This happened because the controversy emerged close to the election on July 4.
At the time, Craig apologized, stating he placed the bet without believing he would actually win the seat. He pledged to donate any winnings to charity and promised to cooperate with an investigation led by the Commission.
The Conservative candidate, Patrick Spencer, ultimately won the seat with 32.6% of the vote, surpassing Craig’s 23.4%.
In June, the Gambling Commission began examining reports that Craig, some Conservative party members, and several police officers had placed bets on a July 4 election date. These bets were allegedly made before then-prime minister Rishi Sunak announced this date on May 22.
All involved were suspected of using confidential information to gain an unfair betting advantage regarding the election date.
In an August update, the Metropolitan Police announced that none of the individuals would face misconduct charges in public office. However, the possibility of criminal charges remains open through the ongoing Gambling Commission investigation into the misuse of confidential information for betting purposes.
Recently, the Commission announced that its investigation into Craig has concluded.
“Our investigation into the use of confidential information to gain an unfair advantage in betting on the General Election date is ongoing. We cannot provide further details,” stated the Commission.
**Craig’s Reaction to Being Cleared**
Today, Craig announced on social media platform X that he has been absolved of any wrongdoing. In addition, he has been reinstated in the Labour Party following his temporary suspension during the investigation.
In a statement, Kevin Craig expressed, “Today, I feel greatly relieved to confirm my complete exoneration by the Gambling Commission and my full reinstatement to the Labour Party, which I have loyally served since 1993.”
He extended his appreciation to the people of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich, and especially to the local Labour party, for their unwavering support throughout this challenging time.
“We were on track for a historic result. I deeply regret that voters were unable to support an official Labour candidate on polling day. I feel saddened by the confusion and chaos that affected our outcome,” he said.
**Craig Advocates for Ban on Election Betting by Politicians**
Before he was officially cleared, Craig was advocating for a prohibition on politicians betting on election outcomes.
Earlier this week, Craig told The Times that he had sent a draft bill to Downing Street proposing an amendment to the Representation of the People Act 1983. This amendment would prevent anyone involved in politics from betting on election results.
“No candidate should endure what I went through,” Craig asserted. “Whether they’re from Reform, Tory, SNP, or Lib Dem, I hope they won’t be completely upended by an investigation’s launch at a crucial campaign moment, a situation that is impossible to navigate during the intense pressure of an election, even if they’re innocent.”
Craig argues that prohibiting political figures from betting on elections would be a “positive step toward updating public life standards, which the prime minister will likely revisit at some point.”