I’ve placed flutters on General Election results, says Scottish Lib Dem leader

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has placed “flutters” on the outcome of races in the General Election, but said it is merely “showing confidence in his friends”.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said he has placed small bets in a number of seats, insisting it is very different from the allegations of insider betting which have rocked the Conservatives and also seen a Labour candidate suspended for betting against himself.

The scandal has put politicians’ gambling activities under scrutiny.

Scottish Secretary Alister Jack – who is not standing in the election – has confirmed he placed bets on the date of the ballot but denied breaking any rules.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, meanwhile, has insisted he is “confident” all his party’s candidates are “behaving appropriately”.

Mr Cole-Hamilton was speaking to journalists during a campaign stop at Edinburgh Zoo on Wednesday.

He said: “Like a lot of people who have an intense interest in politics, I have been known to have a flutter and I have put a very small number of bets on certain outcomes of races across the British isles at this election.

“But you can’t predict the outcomes of elections, it’s never a sure thing.

“I’m just backing my friends who are working hard and deserve to win.”

He said this is different to allegations which have rocked the Conservatives, saying: “These people had information nobody else had about a sure thing, and they went to the bookies on that.

“That is reprehensible.”

Asked if it is right that politicians are betting at all, he added: “Society says it’s okay, there’s not a rule against it. Perhaps we do need to review that.

“I think that when you can’t predict an election, nobody can predict an election unless you’re in North Korea or Russia, then I’m not sure where the advantage is.”

Mr Cole-Hamilton said the highest bet he has placed on this election is around £40-£50, and that he has tended to lose more than win.

Kevin Craig has been suspended by Labour after it emerged he had placed a bet that he will lose to the Conservatives in Central Suffolk and North Ipswich.

With the Labour candidate having bet against himself, Mr Sarwar said he is not aware of any similar behaviour by the party’s Scottish candidates.

He said Mr Craig’s behaviour was “completely unacceptable”.

Speaking on BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programme, Mr Sarwar said: “That is a participant in an individual contest who made a bet on that individual contest, which is not acceptable, which is why he was stripped of his candidacy and why any donations he made to the party have been immediately returned.”

Asked if he can guarantee no Scottish Labour candidates will become embroiled in the election betting scandal, Mr Sarwar said: “Absolutely. I am confident that our candidates are all behaving appropriately and acting appropriately and spending their time doing what they should be doing – talking to the voters, persuading them of our positive future – rather than looking at betting odds.”

Pressed on whether any of his party’s candidates have placed bets, he added: “I’m not aware of any bets being placed.

“I think it is important to stress the difference between those that will place bets on a flutter, like when they are watching the football, watching the horse-racing, things like that, compared with those with someone who has inside knowledge.

“I’m not aware of any bets. Of course we have made it very clear to our candidates that they should be spending all their time speaking to voters, persuading them of our positive alternative, our future and the opportunity to get rid of the Tories that they can’t miss. That is what they should be focused on.”

In a statement released late on Tuesday, Scottish Secretary Mr Jack made “absolutely clear” he had “not breached any gambling rules”.

He said that in March, he placed two unsuccessful bets on the date of the General Election of £5 for a poll to be held in May and June respectively, then made a third wager in April.

He added: “As I have said previously, I placed no bets in May and am not under investigation by the Gambling Commission.”