Political scandals, once they gain sufficient momentum, evolve beyond the initial offence. Only a small number of people were in a position to profit from certain knowledge that Rishi Sunak intended to set 4 July as polling day. Justified outrage that some of them appear to have exploited that advantage – as first revealed by the Guardian – has mutated into generalised suspicion of any candidate who has placed a bet on election outcomes. The prospect of banning the practice, following the model already in place for professional sport, has been raised.
That would not be necessary if parliamentary candidates and party officials had reliable intuition regarding standards in public life. Even if there is no corrupt intent, gambling on an election in which you are participating demonstrates terrible judgment. Democracy is not a game. What may seem like a harmless flutter to someone close to the process can look irresponsible and grubby from afar. That risk is especially high in a climate of intensifying mistrust of the political process.
