Conservative Esther Mcvey slams alleged election betting 24 hours before claims about husband emerge

Esther McVey was talking to Mix 56 presenter Ian James

A Conservative candidate has slammed those allegedly involved in the general election betting scandal - just 24 hours before reports emerged her husband had also placed a bet.

Esther McVey, the candidate for Tatton, in Cheshire, was asked about her take on the gambling scandal which has embroiled a number of Conservative party members while being interviewed on a local radio station.

"The people who've done it, what stupidity, what stupidity," she told Lymm-based radio station Cheshire's Mix 56 on Tuesday 25 June.

"Obviously there'll be an investigation and if they've done wrong they'll be held to account... and if they haven't, because nobody knows what they did... that will be sorted out."

Esther McVey speaking to Cheshire Radio station Mix 56 Credit: Mix 56

But just 24 hours later reports emerged claiming her husband, senior Conservative MP Sir Philip Davies, placed an £8,000 bet on him losing his own seat in the General Election on 4 July.

Sir Philip, who has been elected as the Conservative MP for Shipley, in West Yorkshire, since 2005 is standing for re-election.

He and Ms McVey have been married since September 2020.

He has not confirmed or denied the bet, but when approached by The Sun newspaper said: "What's it go to do with you whether I did or didn't.

"I hope to win. I'm busting a gut to win. I expect to lose.

"In the 2005 election, I busted a gut to win. I expected to lose. I had a bet on myself to lose in the 2005 election, and my bet went down the pan.

"And if anyone’s alleging I’ve done anything illegal, they’re very welcome to allege it, but I’m afraid I haven’t."

When approached for a comment, Sir Philip referred ITV News to the comments reported in the Sun.

Speaking to ITV News previously, Sir Philip said he had placed a bet that his wife Esther McVey would win the seat she is seeking re-election for.

Esther McVey and Sir Philip Davies pictured in 2019 Credit: PA

The Gambling Commission, an independent watchdog, has launched an investigation into whether party figures illicitly used insider knowledge to place bets on the date of the general election before it was called.

So far five Conservatives have been named as under investigation.

Labour has also withdraw support for one of its candidate after it emerged he had bet on the result in his own seat.

One of Rishi Sunak's close protection officers and five Metropolitan Police officers are also currently being investigated by the Gambling Commission.

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