A POLICE CONSTABLE working as part of British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s close protection team has been arrested and suspended over alleged bets about the timing of the UK general election. 

The Metropolitan Police said the officer was taken into custody on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in a public office and has since been bailed pending further inquiries.

In a statement, the force said it was informed by the UK Gambling Commission that a police constable from the Met’s Royalty and Specialist Protection Command was being investigated for alleged bets relating to the timing of the general election. 

Police said the matter was immediately referred to the Met’s Directorate of Professional Standards and the officer was also removed from operational duties.

“The officer was subsequently arrested on Monday 17 June on suspicion of misconduct in public office. He was taken into custody and bailed pending further enquiries. The matter has also been referred to the Independent Office for Police Conduct,” the force continued.

The Gambling Commission is leading the investigation into the alleged betting offences, with the Met Police’s probe running in parallel to it.

In a statement, the Gambling Commission said: “Currently the commission is investigating the possibility of offences concerning the date of the election.

“This is an ongoing investigation, and the commission cannot provide any further details at this time.”

According to the Crown Prosecution Service’s website, misconduct in a public office “concerns serious wilful abuse or neglect of the power or responsibilities”.

Those who can be accused of the offence include judges, bishops, MPs, civil servants, army officers, prison staff and police constables.

Daisy Cooper, the deputy leader of the Liberal Democrats, has said that Sunak must call a Cabinet Office inquiry into “what is shaping up to be yet another scandal at the heart of Government”.

“This stinks of yet more sleaze and answers are needed. An inquiry is needed to understand who knew what and when,” she said.

Sunak previously said it was “very disappointing” that one of his closest aides and the current Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr in Wales, Craig Williams, had allegedly placed a bet on the date of the general election.

Williams, who was the Tory MP for Montgomery until the election was called, is alleged to have placed a £100 (€118) bet on a July polling day some three days before Sunak named the date as 4 July at a Ladbrokes in his constituency.

He previously said he had clearly made a “huge error of judgment” but refused to say whether he placed a bet on the basis of insider information.

With reporting from Press Association