Keir Starmer said his response to the Gambling Commission investigating Labour candidate Kevin Craig demonstrated his assertive style of leadership.
He told broadcasters on Wednesday:
I made very clear that if any of my candidates were being investigated in relation to the Gambling Commission, I’d remove them straight away, which is what I’ve done.
That’s in a sharp contrast to Rishi Sunak, who took days and days and days before he took action.
There’s a wider story here about the choice at the general election next week, between carrying on with what we’ve had for the last 14 years or so – the inaction by Rishi Sunak was just absolutely in keeping with the way that they have governed for 14 years – or turning the page and starting to rebuild the country with assertive leadership that takes decisive action.”
Police are investigating damage caused to the offices of DUP parliamentary candidate Sammy Wilson, PA Media reports. PA says:
Windows and doors of the property were damaged in the overnight incident in the Lancasterian Street area of Carrickfergus, Co Antrim.
Wilson is standing in the East Antrim constituency in the election.
PSNI district commander, Superintendent Ian McCormick said: “Police received a report shortly after 9.30am today, Wednesday June 26, that damage had been caused to the windows and doors of the premises at some time overnight. Officers remain at the scene as part of our investigation to establish the circumstances around this incident.”
He said officers were keen to speak to anyone who was in the area overnight and who saw anything suspicious or who may have CCTV, dashcam or other video footage.
“People standing as candidates in our elections or involved in canvassing are a key part of our democratic process and it is unacceptable when they become the subject of abuse,” the senior officer added.
Wilson said he would not be deterred.
“This was a senseless attack on an office that serves the people of East Antrim,” he said.
“Throughout my years as a public representative, I have never been deterred from putting forward my views and I won’t be deterred now.”
Speaking to reporters today, Keir Starmer also suggested he was not in favour of placing a ban on MPs betting on politics.
This morning Mel Stride, the work and pensions secretary, was asked if such a ban should be introduced. He replied: “Quite possibly and I think we do need to have a debate about it.” And Alastair Campbell, the podcast host and Labour former spin doctor, told the Today programme that, just as footballers were banned from betting on football, politicians should be banned from betting on politics.
“If you work in top-flight football, you cannot bet on football. End of story. And I think it should be the same in politics.”
Alastair Campbell @campbellclaret suggests betting in politics is ‘a big thing now’ and compares political betting to the football industry.#R4Today
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) June 26, 2024
But, as the BBC reports, when Starmer was asked if he favoured a ban of this kind, he said he was “resistant to go down the road of let’s change the rules”. He went on: “This is quite simple. It’s about the behaviour of the individuals under the current rules, which is why they’re being investigated.”
He said this illustrated a point that he has made repeatedly during the election campaign – that the culture of politics needs to change, and that it should move to “a politics of service”.
He went on:
It’s something that I’m determined we will do if we do win the election, because I think there’s been too much politics of self-advancement in the last 14 years. You’ve seen different versions of that during Partygate, covid contracts” and he added gambling too.
Starmer also sidestepped a question about whether he had been assured that none of his shadow cabinet ministers had placed bets on the election. Asked if he was confident they had not, he replied: “They know the standards that I expect of them and all candidates.”
Good afternoon. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking over from Amy Sedghi. I will be here for the rest of the afternoon and I will be covering the BBC Sunak/Starmer debate which starts at 8.15pm. At some point, about an hour before it starts, we will launch a new blog for the debate coverage.
Here is more from what Keir Starmer has been saying about the election betting scandal.
Starmer said the actions of the Tory candidates suspended by their party over betting were “materially different” from what action of the Labour candidate suspended over a betting complaint yesterday. By that, he meant the allegations against the Tories were more serious. Commenting on Kevin Craig, the Labour candidate who was suspended, Starmer said:
It’s materially different to the Tory being investigated – it’s one thing to use insider information about the date of the election.
It’s different to bet against yourself but you know, my decision was based on the fact that the Gambling Commission are investigating. That’s what I said I would do, and that’s what I did.
He implied that he suspended Craig as soon as he found he was being investigated by the Gambling Commission partly to show he was more decisive than Rishi Sunak. He said:
I made very clear that if any of my candidates were being investigated in relation to the Gambling Commission, I’d remove them straight away, which is what I’ve done. That’s in a sharp contrast to Rishi Sunak, who took days and days and days before he took action.
If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line (BTL) or message me on X (Twitter). I can’t read all the messages BTL, but if you put “Andrew” in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word. If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use X; I’ll see something addressed to @AndrewSparrow very quickly. I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos (no error is too small to correct). And I find your questions very interesting too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
I’ll shortly be passing over the blog to Andrew Sparrow who will take you through the rest of the day and the evening.
Here’s a summary of the key lines from Wednesday so far:
Keir Starmer has said that ‘inaction’ from Rishi Sunak over the gambling row is in line with how Tories have ruled for 14 years. Starmer said that, in contrast, his response to the Gambling Commission investigating Labour candidate Kevin Craig demonstrated his assertive style of leadership. Speaking to broadcasters on Wednesday, Starmer suggested he did not think the rules on political betting needed to change: “I don’t think that we should be lured into thinking this is a problem with the rules, it’s a problem with politicians.”
Liberal Dem leader Ed Davey said he had placed two bets relating to his party at previous elections, but he had never bet on himself. Davey drew a distinction between “having a flutter” and those accused of having inside knowledge before placing bets. Campaigning in Essex on Wednesday, Davey said there should be an urgent review into the regulations around politics and gambling.
Work and pensions secretary Mel Stride has told Sky News viewers that the country appears to be heading towards “a massive majority” for Labour, with “very little opposition in parliament” and suggested they might be on course for at least two terms of government. Stride also defended the prime minister’s handling of the Conservative party election betting scandal, saying Sunak “has done exactly the right thing”.
The BBC’s Newsnight programme has said that up to 15 Conservative candidates and officials are being looked at by the Gambling Commission over alleged betting on the timing of the general election. The Conservative party told Newsnight they were cooperating with the Gambling Commission and that they “could not confirm how many of their officials or candidates might be facing scrutiny”.
On a visit to a housing development in Staffordshire on Wednesday, the shadow secretary of state of climate change and net zero Ed Miliband said it is “clear” the UK needs a future homes standard to help those struggling with the cost of living. He also said there was a “glaring contrast” between the way Sunak and Starmer have dealt with the gambling row.
Sunak has intervened in the spat between Kemi Badenoch and actor David Tennant, suggesting the Doctor Who star is “the problem”. Equalities minister, Badenoch, previously said she “will not shut up” after Tennant suggested he wanted a world where she “doesn’t exist any more” during a speech at an awards show.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton told reporters that he had placed “flutters” on the outcome of races in the general election, but said it is was merely “showing confidence in his friends”.
Scotland is at a “pivotal moment in its history”, former first minister Alex Salmond has said as he launched the Alba party manifesto on Wednesday. Ahead of the launch, Salmond described his party as the “natural home” for supporters of independence.
The Green party is to set out a plan for the UK’s rivers, as it calls for a “drastic change” to be made to water and sewage infrastructure. Under its proposals, the party is pledging to nationalise water companies and invest £12bn in infrastructure to prevent sewage being dumped into rivers and seas.
Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has placed “flutters” on the outcome of races in the general election, but said it is merely “showing confidence in his friends”, reports the PA news agency.
Cole-Hamilton said he has placed small bets in a number of seats, insisting it is very different from the allegations of insider betting: “These people had information nobody else had about a sure thing, and they went to the bookies on that. That is reprehensible.”
Cole-Hamilton was speaking to journalists during a campaign stop at Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday. He said:
Like a lot of people who have an intense interest in politics, I have been known to have a flutter and I have put a very small number of bets on certain outcomes of races across the British isles at this election.
But you can’t predict the outcomes of elections, it’s never a sure thing. I’m just backing my friends who are working hard and deserve to win.”
Asked if it is right that politicians are betting at all, he added:
Society says it’s OK, there’s not a rule against it. Perhaps we do need to review that.
I think that when you can’t predict an election, nobody can predict an election unless you’re in North Korea or Russia, then I’m not sure where the advantage is.”
Cole-Hamilton said the highest bet he has placed on this election is around £40-£50, and that he has tended to lose more than win.
Scottish secretary Alister Jack – who is not standing in the election – has confirmed he placed bets on the date of the ballot but denied breaking any rules.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, meanwhile, has insisted he is “confident” all his party’s candidates are “behaving appropriately”.
Keir Starmer said he could not “build a prison in the first week” of government and would have to deal with the problem of overcrowding “as it is” if Labour wins the election.
The Labour leader has been critical of the Conservatives’ move to release certain offenders early to free up space but declined to say whether he would end the scheme.
Speaking to broadcasters on the campaign trail today, Starmer said:
We’re not going to be able to deal with this on day one, I’ll be completely straight with you. I can’t build a prison in the first week of a Labour government. It is a really shocking state of affairs that we don’t have enough prison spaces.”
He said the problem pointed to a “catastrophic failure” in criminal justice under the Tories and said he would “take the tough decisions that make sure we never get into this situation ever again”.
In the latest edition of the Guardian’s path to power series, Robert Booth reports that gentrification is pricing out people from the Hertfordshire town of Hitchin where voters are divided over plans to build new homes.
You can read the full piece here:
Keir Starmer said he only gambled on horse racing but suggested he did not think the rules on political betting needed to change, reports the PA news agency.
The Labour leader told broadcasters on Wednesday:
I’ve never placed a political bet, I only bet on the horses. So that’s where I stand on this.
And I don’t think that we should be lured into thinking this is a problem with the rules, it’s a problem with politicians.
You can see from the reaction of the public that they know straight away that what’s been going on in the Tory party, this sort of insider dealing, is wrong.”
Keir Starmer said his response to the Gambling Commission investigating Labour candidate Kevin Craig demonstrated his assertive style of leadership.
He told broadcasters on Wednesday:
I made very clear that if any of my candidates were being investigated in relation to the Gambling Commission, I’d remove them straight away, which is what I’ve done.
That’s in a sharp contrast to Rishi Sunak, who took days and days and days before he took action.
There’s a wider story here about the choice at the general election next week, between carrying on with what we’ve had for the last 14 years or so – the inaction by Rishi Sunak was just absolutely in keeping with the way that they have governed for 14 years – or turning the page and starting to rebuild the country with assertive leadership that takes decisive action.”
Scotland is at a “pivotal moment in its history”, former first minister Alex Salmond has said as he launched the Alba party manifesto on Wednesday.
The party – which had two MPs in the last parliament as a result of defections from the SNP – has said every national election should be treated as a test of the desire for independence, with a majority resulting in negotiations for the country to separate from the rest of the UK.
But the SNP have said a majority of seats for their party should result in talks to deliver a second referendum on the issue – although Labour leader Keir Starmer has said he will not engage in such negotiations.
The UK Government, Salmond said, has vetoed the “democratic wishes of Scots” since the 2014 referendum. He said:
On 4 July Scotland goes to the polls in a UK general election – the Alba party believe that every single national election should be used to seek a mandate to begin negotiations for independence.
That means the election itself should provide the popular mandate for independence. Scotland stands at a pivotal moment in its history.
For too long Westminster governments have been allowed to veto the expressed democratic wishes of Scots.
Household incomes are under unprecedented financial pressure as families face a cost of living crisis which is squeezing household budgets to breaking point.
Eight separate national elections have come and gone since the referendum of 2014, including two mandates at Holyrood and three Westminster elections, all with an Independence majority.
But little or no action has been taken to move the dial on independence. We have the opportunity at this Election to make our votes count for independence.”
Ahead of the manifesto launch, Salmond described his party as the “natural home” for supporters of independence. Alba, he said, sought to “mobilise the independence vote disheartened by the SNP’s half-hearted campaign”.
One of the party’s other key pledges is to fight to save the Grangemouth refinery from closure.
One of Alba’s two MPs in the previous term, former Scottish justice secretary Kenny MacAskill, shifted the constituency he would be standing in from East Lothian to the newly formed Alloa and Grangemouth seat to position the refinery at the centre of the party’s campaign.
Owner Petroineos said last year the site could shift to become an import terminal as early as 2025, risking thousands of jobs.
“The Alba party wholeheartedly support the workers at Grangemouth and the work of Unite the Union in defending jobs dependent on the refinery,” the manifesto said. It adds:
At Westminster, the Alba party’s depute leader Kenny MacAskill has spearheaded the campaign to save Grangemouth.
We believed that the perilous position of Grangemouth makes the case for independence and control of our own resources.
We are an energy rich land but our people live in fuel poverty. If the Grangemouth oil refinery closes, Scotland will become the only top 25 oil producer in the world without a refinery capacity, showing there is a clear need to have Scotland’s oil refinery to be aligned with Scotland’s oil production.”
According to the PA news agency, the document also outlined proposals to increase staffing in the NHS, protect women’s rights and provide an annual £500 payment to households receiving the council tax reduction at a cost of £250m as well as increasing the Scottish child payment – controlled by the Scottish government – to £40 a week.
Here is some more on Ed Davey’s comments about placing bets that were mentioned earlier (see 10.59 BST).
The PA news agency is reporting that the Liberal Democrats leader said he had placed two bets relating to his party at previous elections, but he had never bet on himself.
Davey said:
I’ve never placed a bet on myself in any election, and I don’t think we should. I think that’s one of the things that would go into this review that we’re calling for. It’s really important we get that review.
Some people might have thought it was OK to do that, they need greater clarification, they need to be told, no, you can’t do that. That’s why a really detailed review will be so important.”
Asked if he had ever placed a bet on any election he said:
The one I can remember because I got very excited was in 2010 when I thought we were going to win more seats than we did and I lost my bet.”
Davey stated:
I think lots of people would have placed bets on that sort of thing, I had no insider knowledge, I could see the polls like everyone else could see the polls and I got it wrong.”
Further pressed if that was the only occasion Davey said:
I’m trying to think of the last one, I think on the North Shropshire byelection I might have placed a bet when Owen Paterson stood down, I thought we might have a chance and I was right there. But I think lot’s of people in politics do this. One reason why we need, to be honest, this review of gambling regulations is to get real clarity on what is allowed but what isn’t.”