Voters suspended for parliamentary elections for betting on candidates

Voters in a constituency where a parliamentary candidate admitted to betting on his defeat expressed their opinion on his suspension.

Labour suspended Kevin Craig as its candidate for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich after the Labour Party learned that the Gambling Commission had launched an investigation into his conduct.

Mr Craig apologised and said he had made a “stupid mistake” by betting that he would lose his bid to become an MP.

He claimed he planned to “donate all profits to local charities.”

At a car boot sale in Stonham Barns near Stowmarket, people reacted with disappointment.

“How can you advocate for the people of your region and then try to make money off your own people?” said Jane Hayward, 34.

“He made a fool of himself, he made fun of who he stands for, what he stands for, so why should he be part of it?

Speaking to the BBC in Whitton, north of Ipswich, Alan Morley said: “I think he did it as a joke to get publicity, rather than out of any malicious intent.”

“It’s a general election – different politicians use different tricks to attract attention and win votes. I have nothing against him.”

When asked whether Labour leader Keir Starmer had acted correctly in suspending him, Morley said: “Yes, because it is about betting and that is not something that someone who is a candidate should do.”

Voter John Watson was less generous.

“I am very disappointed and think what he did was absolutely wrong,” he said.

“You should not be allowed to make a profit from an election while you are running for office – that is terrible.”

“I don’t think he should run. He should resign.”

Mr Craig will still appear on the ballot paper under the name Labour Party as it is too late to change this information.

The Labour Party not only suspended him, but also repaid his £100,000 donation from May 2023.

Jo Davis said she was quite stunned by the candidate’s actions.

“Well, I thought that was pretty silly,” she said.

“If you want to win a seat, why bet against yourself?

“You have to do everything you can to win. It’s just a bit bizarre.”

Shaun Doyle finds the whole saga quite worrying.

“It’s really a little out of control,” he said.

“If it were a football standard, he would in some sense be banned and possibly not be allowed to play again.

“But when he wins, he wins money, when he loses, he wins money – so basically he’s trying to enrich his own wallet.”

When further asked whether Mr Craig should be suspended from the Labour Party pending the outcome of the investigation, he replied: “Yes – and I don’t think he should be reinstated either.”

The Suffolk seat was won in 2019 by Conservative Dan Poulter, who defected to the Labour Party in April.

He will not run in the 2024 election.