General election live: Tories hint bids to replace Sunak in leadership contest as PM quizzed on betting scandal

Cabinet members are preparing to replace Rishi Sunak in a future leadership contest after the general election

Tory election betting probe: ‘Totally unacceptable’ if rules broken says Welsh secretary

With the polls revealing a grim picture for the Tories, many are already preparing for a seat wipeout at the general election.

Several Cabinet members have voiced their ambition to replace Rishi Sunak at the inevitable Conservative leadership contest if the prime minister loses on 4 July.

Steve Baker is the last to hint at a potential bid after Kemi Badenoch, Tom Tughendhat, former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick and Home Secretary James Cleverly all left the door open to run for the job.

As his party prepares for his defeat, Mr Sunak is facing questions on whether he told betting scandal candidate Craig Williams about the election date.

During the campaign trail in Derbyshire, the PM dodged questions about whether he had taken action against other party figures claiming he is “not going to speculate” while the Gambling Commission inquiry is ongoing.

It comes as a new MRP poll has predicted Reform UK is set to win 18 seats in the upcoming general election, compared to the Tories’ 15 per cent of the votes.

Key Points

• Reform suspends candidate over BNP membership
• Badenoch compares Labour’s race reforms to apartheid South Africa
• Northern Ireland minister to launch bid for Tory leadership
• Poll reveals Reform set to win 18 seats at general election
• Former owner of Newcastle United defects to Reform

[27 June 2024 12:02 · Salma Ouaguira]

Pictured: Reform supporters at Farage arena rally in Sunderland

People queue ahead of a campaign event by Reform UK leader Nigel Farage at Rainton Arena in Houghton-le-Spring (Getty Images)

[27 June 2024 11:59 · Salma Ouaguira]

Junior doctor blasts Tories ‘threat to public health'

A striking junior doctor has accused the Conservatives of being a “threat to public health” over the handling of the pay dispute.

Dr Andrew Meyerson has urged the government to accept the 35 pay rise demand as “it is reflective of their value as clinicians and well-trained doctors”.

Speaking on Sky News, he said: “It is heartbreaking. So many of us we can turn to our left and right to our colleagues and everybody knows a couple of people who have left the NHS and are taking much more lucrative jobs in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada.”

He added: “This government is a threat to public health and should be no longer looking after the NHS because what they have done to our patients and our colleagues over the last 14 years.”

Junior doctor Dr Andrew Meyerson speaking on Sky News (Sky News)

[27 June 2024 11:53 · Salma Ouaguira]

How will the betting investigation work?

The Met Police has clarified exactly how the betting scandal investigation will work.

Bets suspected to fall under the cheating section of the Gambling Act will be investigated by the Gambling Commission, and are “likely to make up the majority of cases”.

The gambling watchdog is expected to issue criminal prosecutions where crimes are suspected to have been committed.

Bets suspected to be in breach of the Gambling Act, but where other offences apply, such as misconduct in public office, will be “assessed by the Met’s Specialist Crime Command to determine what further investigation is required”.

In a statement, Andrew Rhodes, chief executive of the Gambling Commission, said they are “focussed on an investigation into confidential information being used to gain an unfair advantage when betting on the date of the general election”.

He added: “Our enforcement team has made rapid progress so far and will continue to work closely with the Metropolitan Police to draw this case to a just conclusion.”

He added that they cannot provide the names of anyone potentially under suspicion “to protect the integrity of the investigation and to ensure a fair and just outcome”.

[27 June 2024 11:44 · Salma Ouaguira]

Breaking: Seven police officers under investigation in betting scandal

The Metropolitan Police has just announced that it is investigating more police officers into bets around the general election.

Seven officers have so far been identified as having placed bets on the timing of the election.

It comes as one of Rishi SUnak’s close protection officers was arrested in connection of suspected misconduct in public offense.

The Met confirmed the officer has since been bailed and is currently under restricted duties.

Another six officers have been identified and are being probed by the Gambling Commission.

[27 June 2024 11:40 · Salma Ouaguira]

Steve Baker hints at Tory leadership run

Northern Ireland Office minister Steve Baker has hinted he could be running in a future Tory leadership if the party loses the general election.

The Conservative minister told the Huffington Post: “It’s a fact my colleagues sent for me four times to provide leadership through crisis to success: before and after the referendum, in Covid and in relation to the cost of net zero.

“I’m widely expected to lose my seat. We will see.”

Northern Ireland minister Steve Baker has hinted at a potential bid to become the new Tory leader (PA Archive)

[27 June 2024 11:35 · Salma Ouaguira]

Coming up: Nigel Farage to deliver speech from Rainton at 12pm

The Reform UK leader is in Seaham in the North East, where he kickstarted his Brexit campaign.

He will be speaking live from Rainton at midday.

[27 June 2024 11:26 · Salma Ouaguira]

Sunak used the word ‘surrender’ 17 times during BBC debate

The word “surrender” seemed to be the favorite buzz word of the prime minister during last night’s debate.

Rishi Sunak used the insistently attacked Sir Keir Starmer using the word 17 times. Here are some of the top lines:

• Do not surrender your local councils and our finances to them.

• When pensioners are paying tax for the first time, that’s the change that is coming, so don’t surrender to that, because your families are going to pay the price.

• Do not surrender to – our welfare system to the Labour party and Keir Starmer.

• If Labour win, the people smugglers are going to need a bigger boat. Don’t surrender our borders to the Labour party.

• I don’t think that people should surrender their family finances to the Labour party.

• Keir Starmer and the Labour party are not being straight with you. So do not surrender to their tax rises.

(BBC via Getty Images)

[27 June 2024 11:21 · Salma Ouaguira]

Labour: ‘We’re taxing non-doms, not condoms’

Labour’s Karl Turner, who is running to be re-elected in Hull East, has revealed how a voter thought the party was planning to “tax condoms”.

Mr Turner told The Guardian: “We met a guy who said he was going to vote Labour but wouldn’t now because he had just heard that we were taxing condoms.

“I said, ‘condoms?’ ‘Yeah,’ he said: ‘I just heard on that [pointing to the TV] that you are taxing condoms, and I’m not having it. You’re not getting my vote.’ It was Terence [Turner’s parliamentary assistant] here who worked it out.

“‘We’re taxing non-doms, not condoms,’ I said. ‘Oh,’ he said. ‘Like the prime minister’s wife? Ah.’ He calls out: ‘Margaret: they’re taxing non-doms, not condoms.’”

[27 June 2024 11:09 · Salma Ouaguira]

Betting scandal members could face arrests if Met Police takes over investigation

The candidates involved in the betting scandal could be arrested if the Met Police takes in all the cases, Sky News reports.

A source from the Gambling Commission has reportedly said the Met is “trying to take over all cases in the gambling scandal”.

Cops are seeking to lead the investigations into their officials as well as Westminster candidates.

The Gambling Commission source claimed that if the Met takes over all cases, politicians could face arrests under caution and be interviews with members of the commission.

But a spokesperson from the independent watchdog has denied the claims.

[27 June 2024 11:03 · Salma Ouaguira]

Reynolds vows to take ‘grown-up approach to Brexit'

Jonathan Reynolds has vowed to amend the UK’s relationship with the EU by “good faith and reason, not by internal politics of the Conservative party”.

Mr Reynolds promised the British Chambers of Commerce: “We will take the grown-up approach to Brexit that the Government has lacked.”

The shadow business secretary insisted Labour will not seek to join the single market or customs union.

Instead, he said the party would seek international agreements, adding: “If New Zealand can have a veterinary agreement with our closest neighbours, so can we.

“And the same can be said for the mutual recognition of professional qualifications, for touring rights in the creative industries, and easier inter-company transfers.”