Tory Candidate Sir Philip Davies Reportedly Places £8,000 Bet on Losing Seat Ahead of General Election

A senior Conservative candidate, Sir Philip Davies, has allegedly placed an £8,000 wager on losing his seat in the upcoming general election. Sir Philip, who currently serves as the Tory MP for Shipley in West Yorkshire, is facing scrutiny following the reported bet, initially disclosed by The Sun. Defending a significant majority of 6,242 in Shipley, Sir Philip neither confirmed nor denied the betting claim but emphasized that he is fully committed to winning.

In recent days, multiple parliamentary candidates have come under fire for engaging in election betting activities. Candidates such as Craig Williams in Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, Laura Saunders in Bristol North West, and Russell George of the Welsh Parliament have all faced investigations by the Gambling Commission for their alleged betting behavior.

The gambling row has deepened further with Labour candidate Kevin Craig also being implicated in betting against himself in the upcoming election, adding a bipartisan dimension to the controversy. The Metropolitan Police is actively investigating several cases related to election betting, with concerns raised about potential misconduct in public office.

The political fallout from the betting scandal reached the highest echelons, with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer clashing over the issue in a televised debate. Amid calls for stricter regulations, Business Minister Kevin Hollinrake also admitted to placing bets on the Conservative victory but refrained from wagering on his own seat in Thirsk and Malton.