Craig Williams, a former Member of Parliament and parliamentary private secretary to ex-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, has pleaded guilty to cheating at gambling. The 41-year-old admitted placing bets on the date of the 2024 general election, using confidential information he possessed.
Williams entered his guilty plea at Southwark Crown Court on Monday. Prosecutors stated that he placed bets of £250, £100, and £22.50 on the election date. The bets were referred to the Gambling Commission due to concerns they were based on inside knowledge from his government position.
Williams, who had been part of Sunak's inner circle and attended planning meetings in Downing Street prior to the election announcement, acknowledged his actions on June 12, 2024. He stated that he had "put a flutter on the general election some weeks ago" and called it a "huge error of judgment." Neither Williams nor Sunak commented on whether Williams knew the specific election date. Sunak described Williams' conduct as "very disappointing."
Prior to serving as Sunak's eyes and ears in Parliament, Williams held positions as PPS when Sunak was Chancellor under Boris Johnson, and as a special advisor in the Department for Exiting the European Union. He also served as a PPS to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury.
Days before the election, the Conservative Party withdrew its support for Williams' candidacy and stated they would not grant him the party whip if re-elected. He ultimately finished third in the Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr constituency with 7,775 votes, with the seat going to Labour.