officers are being scrutinised. welcome to newsnight for your weeknightly interviews and insight. let me introduce you to our political panel for this evening — claire ainsley, former head of policy for sir keir starmer, and henry hill, who is the acting editor of the tory website conservative home, plus dal babu, a former chief superintendent in the metropolitan police, and nick is here as always. nick, the betting scandal has widened today — and here at newsnight we have new revelations to bring to our audience this evening. i have been looking at this. well, i have been looking into this and have learnt of a series or developments covering the conservative party, and the labour party. in my investigation i have found out that... up to 15 conservative party candidates and officials are being scrutinised for alleged betting on the timing of the election. also craig williams is expected to be interviewed this week by gambling commission officials. and the labour party made a mistake in its raffle for party supporters. but of these organisations saying in response? the conservative party what they are saying to us as they have a say 20 are cooperating with the gambling commission. they are unable to comment on how many candidates or officials may have been approached by the gambling commission and they say they already hearing a simple reason for that, there's only one named person in any political party who is allowed to deal with the gambling commission and they are not allowed to tell anyone including colleagues in their party about what they may or may not have happened. what happens is the gambling commission would approach that named person and so would say, is considered a official be on your payroll, is it one of yours, they will say yes or no, provider details and in the commission will approach that person. they would then site you are under investigation. the party then doesn't hear any more but what is interesting about that is at the time the gambling commission do that they have to notify the police. what is interesting is tory sources are saying all these names are coming to them when they are approached byjournalists. which is why you saw in the daily telegraph today said there is a believing conservative the police are making those names, firmly denied by the police. the labour party are admitting they did make a mistake, they believe it is a very minor site on their apple. this is open to members of the party over the age of 18 to raise funds for the party. what they are saying is in terms conditions for that raffle they did say you could enter it for free. that should have been repeated on the cover letter that went out and it wasn't. so they agreed with the gambling commission that was a mistake and i sent an e—mail after party members making that absolutely you can do this for free. it has been quite — you can do this for free. it has been quite a _ you can do this for free. it has been quite a dramatic - you can do this for free. it has been quite a dramatic day, . you can do this for free. it has - been quite a dramatic day, various developments.— developments. quite a few developments. _ developments. quite a few developments. we - developments. quite a few developments. we will. developments. quite a few developments. we will run 1 developments. quite a few- developments. we will run through them. firstly the conservative party withdrew its support from two candidates, the two candidates we knew were being looked into by the gambling commission, a lot of criticism of the prime minister that he was not doing anything about it. both craig williams the candidate in montgomeryshire and laura saunders the candidate in bristol north west are being looked into by the gambling commission. there is a full list of candidates in those constituencies on the bbc website. this evening we learned a conservative member of the web sennedd who sits for the same area as craig williams stood down for the conservative shadow front bench after being informed he is facing an investigation, russell george, he is saying he will cooperate fully without inquiry. earlier this evening labour suspended its parliamentary candidate kevin craig after being told the gambling commission have launched an investigation into him. mr craig wrote on x that he put on the tories to win the seats that he is contesting and he said his intention, he did do some time ago, was to give any winnings to local charities. it was to give any winnings to local charities. ., , �* charities. it doesn't end there. i have also _ charities. it doesn't end there. i have also learned _ charities. it doesn't end there. i have also learned craig - charities. it doesn't end there. i | have also learned craig williams charities. it doesn't end there. i - have also learned craig williams the former close aide to rishi sunak lost the participatory is expected to be interviewed this week by the commission. mr 0wens was a video tape to voters and here's. an error of judgment. not an offence. i want to reiterate my apology directly to you. i'm fully cooperating with the routine inquiries from the gambling commission and i intend to clear my name. in all these things, due process is important and that is what sets the uk apart from other countries. the commission must be allowed to do its work. in terms of the commission doing its work, there is expected to be a meeting on friday between the gambling commission and the metropolitan police about when of rishi sunak�*s is protection officers who was arrested last week and placed on respective duties over claims over election betting. the officer was arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office. there are many strengths of this, some seem incredibly serious, potentially using inside information, some less so, so how do we distinguish between the trans? fin so, so how do we distinguish between the trans? . ., , ., the trans? on that raffle thing for the trans? on that raffle thing for the labour _ the trans? on that raffle thing for the labour party, _ the trans? on that raffle thing for the labour party, they _ the trans? on that raffle thing for the labour party, they believe - the trans? on that raffle thing forl the labour party, they believe that minor and the gambling commission regard it as minor because i got on the terms and conditions you can do to people it was on the cover letter. they have dealt with it. only bets, we are basically talking 0nly bets, we are basically talking about two sorts of bits. 0ne 0nly bets, we are basically talking about two sorts of bits. one set of some seem to be problematic for people who may have placed them, another set of and also problematic. the first ones problematic as those people who allegedly placed a bet on a july election are around about the time i was earning but it was getting into the water of westminster is in may, so the gambling commission is looking at anyone who placed a bet that would have yielded a win of 199 or above, place that bet onjuly election in may. that could be problematic because that is potentially based on insider information. the second set of bets are not so legally problematic. kevin craig the labour candidate who did what many candidates do, it started out the campaign and went i think i am a pretty hopeless cause, i will place a bet. that wasn't based i imagine he would argue on inside intelligence but given the climate we are in the labour party has decided to suspend him. then there is the case of alisterjack, the scotland secretary in rishi sunak�*s cabinet. he has been going around joking that he placed a bet and made quite a bit of money on it. our very good colleaguejoe pike producer alisterjack and he sort of said, i haven't done anything wrong. as i understand it, in conservative circles, alisterjack put £5 understand it, in conservative circles, alisterjack put e5 in march at 25—1 on a summer election. alisterjack is saying he is not under investigation and he hasn't done anything wrong because what the gambling commission is doing is looking at bets that were placed in may around about the time the prime minister did his decision. alister jack's bet was in march and what appears to have happened did it as an open secret at westminster that alisterjack has sought for a long time should be a summer election and what he appeared to be doing was, this is my view about what should happen, i will place a bit, no inside knowledge.— happen, i will place a bit, no inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb. it inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb- it is _ inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb. it is probing _ inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb. it is probing an _ inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb. it is probing an issue - inside knowledge. there is a lot to absorb. it is probing an issue that| absorb. it is probing an issue that will come up tomorrow evening in the last debate of the election campaign, with rishi sunak and keir starmer going head—to—head in nottingham. they'll be answering your questions and making their arguments for why they should be the next uk prime minster. the prime ministerial debate from nottingham. tomorrow evening from 8.15, on bbc one and iplayer. let's talk now to former metropolitan police chief superintendent dal babu, and our panellists claire ainsley and henry hill. there is a lot to take in. your reaction first of all, dal, does it tell anything about the political and police class in this country are not? i and police class in this country are not? ., ., , , ., not? i am exhausted listening to that summary- — not? i am exhausted listening to that summary. there _ not? i am exhausted listening to that summary. there is - not? i am exhausted listening to that summary. there is huge - not? i am exhausted listening to - that summary. there is huge amount to seven. this is about trust, it goes to the heart of trust. the two organisations that struggle with getting trust back our politicians and the police. we have seen a very different response to allegations made against police officers which have resulted in a rest and interviewing out individual and we have had rishi sunak dragged kicking and screaming to relinquish his support for the candidates. i think that says a lot about how individuals are treating these incidents but these are serious incidents but these are serious incidents because it is about trust and that lack of trust stop the medicine journey to try and retrieve trust and i think this will be a massive knock to thatjourney trust and i think this will be a massive knock to that journey for the met. massive knock to that “ourney for the met. �* . . massive knock to that “ourney for the met. �* , , the met. let's remember innocent until proven _ the met. let's remember innocent until proven guilty, _ the met. let's remember innocent until proven guilty, a _ the met. let's remember innocent until proven guilty, a long - the met. let's remember innocent until proven guilty, a long way - the met. let's remember innocent until proven guilty, a long way to l until proven guilty, a long way to go. rishi sunak and his ministers who have been defending the fact that there were still supporting those two candidates, even up until last night on newsnight with gillian keegan saying it was due process, the conservative party has lost its own inquiry they were telling us yesterday for the first time and they said today they have gone through the due process, why are you laughing? through the due process, why are you lau~ahin ? , ., through the due process, why are you lau~ahin? ., laughing? there where you are simmering _ laughing? there where you are simmering it — laughing? there where you are simmering it is _ laughing? there where you are simmering it is accurate - laughing? there where you are simmering it is accurate but. laughing? there where you are i simmering it is accurate but quite bleak. i simmering it is accurate but quite bleak. ., , ., ., , , ., bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence _ bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence of _ bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence of it, _ bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence of it, they _ bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence of it, they say - bleak. i thought you were lapping at their defence of it, they say they - their defence of it, they say they checked with the gambling commission today, it won't compete on the investigation, that's why they come to this conclusion of withdrawing support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't disprove _ support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't disprove it. _ support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't disprove it. i— support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't disprove it. i would _ support, do you buy that? i suppose i can't disprove it. i would say - i can't disprove it. i would say basically what has happened is the pressure has gotten tolerable and we have seen time and again unfortunately with rishi sunak and borisjohnson there was a queer thing to do here politically speaking, which was which support immediately. if it turns out they clear their names then wonderful, you can say if craig is elected and decreases nine, we will welcome him back into the party with open arms but for now we will woodrow support and there's always tension with political things when things are being investigated because they don't sometimes get this sort of due process protection you would get if you were employed in a normaljob. the political parties are under pressure to act but that is politics. ultimately at the end of the day the job of political parties are to maintain public confidence and that does sometimes seem you have to treat someone slightly brutally and withdraw support in the middle of an election because that is yourjob as prime minister. speaking to conservative activists and campaigners up and down the country they are absolutely furious because there was already no love lost between them and the leadership of the centre party already with the surprise election and everything else. and now all the people who have been giving up their weekends and evenings to try and return conservative mps found out some of the people at the very top of cchq have been slaving for a tiny amount, tawdry bits, absolutely livid, conservative activists are furious. claire ainsley, did care summer to the right thing in booting kevin craig out today? he the right thing in booting kevin craig out today?— the right thing in booting kevin craig out today? he took really ruick and craig out today? he took really quick and decisive _ craig out today? he took really quick and decisive action - craig out today? he took really quick and decisive action in - quick and decisive action in contrast— quick and decisive action in contrast to _ quick and decisive action in contrast to the _ quick and decisive action in contrast to the way - quick and decisive action in contrast to the way rishi . quick and decisive action in- contrast to the way rishi sunak took some _ contrast to the way rishi sunak took sometime _ contrast to the way rishi sunak took some time to — contrast to the way rishi sunak took some time to come _ contrast to the way rishi sunak took some time to come to— contrast to the way rishi sunak took some time to come to a _ contrast to the way rishi sunak took some time to come to a decision - contrast to the way rishi sunak tookl some time to come to a decision that most _ some time to come to a decision that most of— some time to come to a decision that most of us _ some time to come to a decision that most of us would _ some time to come to a decision that most of us would have _ some time to come to a decision that most of us would have thought - some time to come to a decision that most of us would have thought to - most of us would have thought to take on— most of us would have thought to take on the — most of us would have thought to take on the get— most of us would have thought to take on the get go. _ most of us would have thought to take on the get go. we _ most of us would have thought to take on the get go. we are - most of us would have thought to take on the get go. we are in- most of us would have thought to take on the get go. we are in the| take on the get go. we are in the middle _ take on the get go. we are in the middle of— take on the get go. we are in the middle of an— take on the get go. we are in the middle of an election _ take on the get go. we are in the middle of an election and - take on the get go. we are in the middle of an election and in - take on the get go. we are in the middle of an election and in a - take on the get go. we are in the . middle of an election and in a week the party— middle of an election and in a week the party will— middle of an election and in a week the party will have _ middle of an election and in a week the party will have to _ middle of an election and in a week the party will have to put _ middle of an election and in a week the party will have to put forward . the party will have to put forward these _ the party will have to put forward these as — the party will have to put forward these as a — the party will have to put forward these as a candidate _ the party will have to put forward these as a candidate or— the party will have to put forward these as a candidate or not, - the party will have to put forward these as a candidate or not, you i these as a candidate or not, you don't _ these as a candidate or not, you don't have — these as a candidate or not, you don't have time _ these as a candidate or not, you don't have time to _ these as a candidate or not, you don't have time to waste - these as a candidate or not, you don't have time to waste in- these as a candidate or not, you i don't have time to waste in these sorts— don't have time to waste in these sorts of— don't have time to waste in these sorts of circumstances. _ don't have time to waste in these sorts of circumstances. i - don't have time to waste in these sorts of circumstances. i think. don't have time to waste in these sorts of circumstances. i think iti sorts of circumstances. i think it told us — sorts of circumstances. i think it told us a — sorts of circumstances. i think it told us a lot _ sorts of circumstances. i think it told us a lot-— told us a lot. what rules is that kevin craig _ told us a lot. what rules is that kevin craig break, _ told us a lot. what rules is that kevin craig break, what - told us a lot. what rules is that kevin craig break, what did - told us a lot. what rules is that kevin craig break, what did he| told us a lot. what rules is that l kevin craig break, what did he do wrong? kevin craig break, what did he do wron: ? . . kevin craig break, what did he do wron. ? , ., ., kevin craig break, what did he do wron? , ., ., ., ., ., , wrong? these are all allegations, but let's say _ wrong? these are all allegations, but let's say hypothetically - but let's say hypothetically somebody— but let's say hypothetically somebody bets _ but let's say hypothetically somebody bets against - but let's say hypothetically- somebody bets against themselves. that is— somebody bets against themselves. that is what — somebody bets against themselves. that is what he _ somebody bets against themselves. that is what he says. _ somebody bets against themselves. that is what he says. if— somebody bets against themselves. that is what he says.— that is what he says. if you bet auainst that is what he says. if you bet against himself, _ that is what he says. if you bet against himself, and _ that is what he says. if you bet against himself, and in - that is what he says. if you bet against himself, and in politics| against himself, and in politi