Met officer working in Rishi Sunak's protection team arrested over alleged General Election bets
The arrest of the police officer is awkward timing for Rishi Sunak, ITV News Correspondent Jasmine Cameron-Chileshe reports
A police officer working in Rishi Sunak's close protection team has been arrested over allegedly betting on the General Election date.
The Metropolitan Police said the Gambling Commission contacted the force to confirm they were investigating alleged bets made by a Police Constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command.
The officer has been suspended from duty and arrested on suspicion of misconduct in a public office on Monday, according to the Met.
The statement continued: "The matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct.
“The Gambling Commission continues to lead the investigation into the alleged betting offences, and our investigation is running in parallel to that.”
Officers who are part of the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command provide personal close protection to members of the Royal Family and "Ministerial VIPs", according to the force.
They are also tasked with protecting foreign dignitaries visiting the UK and guard royal residencies in London, Windsor and Scotland.
This comes after one of Rishi Sunak's aides apologised after admitting to placing a bet on the upcoming election date before it was officially confirmed.
Craig Williams, who served as the prime minister’s parliamentary private secretary and is the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, said on June 13: “I clearly made a huge error of judgement, that’s for sure, and I apologise.
"I will not be expanding on my statement because it’s an independent process. The Gambling Commission are looking at it now.”
Mr Williams posted on X that he had been contacted by a journalist about Gambling Commission inquiries into one of his accounts.
He wrote: "I put a flutter on the General Election some weeks ago. This has resulted in some routine inquiries and I confirm I will fully cooperate with these.
"I don't want it to be a distraction from the campaign. I should have thought through how it looks."
According to a report by The Guardian, published shortly after the statement, Mr Williams placed a £100 bet on a July election just three days before the date was named.
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