Watchdog has reportedly told chief data officer he is part of inquiry and party says he has taken leave of absence
A senior Conservative official has become the fourth party figure subject to an investigation by the gambling watchdog, amid reports he placed dozens of bets on the timing of the election before it was announced.
Nick Mason, the Tories’ chief data officer, has been informed by the Gambling Commission he is part of its inquiry into bets on the election date, the Sunday Times reported. The Conservative party confirmed that Mason had taken a leave of absence.
Mason is the latest confirmed Tory figure to be facing an investigation in a growing gambling scandal that has engulfed the Conservative party during the election campaign.
It has led to at least two party officials taking an unscheduled leave of absence from its headquarters as they are investigated. Michael Gove, the outgoing levelling up secretary, likened it to the Partygate scandal that dogged Boris Johnson’s premiership.
A Conservative party spokesperson said: “As instructed by the Gambling Commission, we are not permitted to discuss any matters related to any investigation with the subject or any other persons.”
The Guardian uncovered the scandal by revealing last week that bets placed by Craig Williams, who is Rishi Sunak’s closest parliamentary aide, were the subject of an investigation by the Gambling Commission for betting that the election would be in July, three days before it was called.
