General election: Leading Welsh Tory backs candidate suspended over bet

On Wednesday, it was announced that the Conservative MP for Montgomeryshire in the Welsh Parliament would resign from his post in the Senedd after investigations were also launched into betting on the timing of the election.

Russell George, the fifth Conservative to face investigation by the Gambling Commission, will have to temporarily give up his paid job as chair of the Senedd’s health committee.

General election candidate Craig Williams, who replaced Glyn Davies as MP for Montgomeryshire in 2019, was a close adviser to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak during the last parliamentary term.

Earlier this month, it was revealed that he was being investigated for a bet on July elections. Three days earlier, Sunak announced that Britain would hold elections next month.

On Tuesday, the Conservative Party announced that it could no longer support Mr Williams or its candidate for Bristol North West, Laura Saunders, “due to ongoing internal investigations”.

In a video posted on X, Williams said in his response to the decision that he had “made an error of judgment, but not a crime,” adding that he wanted to “reiterate my apology” to voters.

Because of the timing of the Conservatives’ decision, Mr Williams will still appear on the July 4 ballot paper as the party’s candidate, but if elected he would be an independent.

Furthermore, he will not be able to draw on his party’s resources until the election.

However, Mr Davies, who was an MP between 2010 and 2019, told BBC Wales that Mr Williams was “a very, very honourable man”.

“He has done an excellent job as our MP, but I fully admit he made a mistake,” he said.

“I will continue to support him with all my strength.”

Asked whether he accepted that his position put him at odds with the party as a whole, Davies said: “In situations like this you have to ask yourself where you stand and that is obviously a difficult issue for many of us to grapple with.”

“But I thought about it for a long time and came to my opinion.”

Russell George, Member of the Senedd (MS) for Montgomeryshire, had already resigned from his role as frontbender party spokesman and Shadow Minister for Mid Wales.

He declined an interview request from BBC Wales, but stated that he would cooperate fully with the Gambling Commission.

There have been calls for the politician – who remains a member of the Tory MPs’ Association – to be expelled from the Welsh Conservative group in Cardiff Bay.

BBC political editor Chris Mason reported that George placed his online bet for a July election more than a week before the election and that neither man knew about the other’s bet.

It is not known how much Mr George bet or what the odds were. Mr George and Mr Williams share a constituency office in Welshpool.

Mr George’s regular Senedd salary of £72,057 was supplemented by an additional salary of £14,636 for his work as chair of the Health Select Committee, making a total of £86,693.

The committee scrutinises the Welsh Government’s health policy and any health legislation it passes through the Senedd.

On Tuesday, Mr George said in a statement: “While I will fully cooperate with the Gambling Commission, it would not be appropriate to comment on this independent and confidential process.

“This would only jeopardise and undermine the investigation. It is the Gambling Commission, not the media, that has the responsibility, powers and resources to properly investigate these matters and decide what action, if any, should be taken.

“I have withdrawn from the shadow cabinet while the inquiry is ongoing. I have done so because I do not want to unnecessarily disrupt their work.”