MS suspended from Welsh Conservatives over gambling offences

Emily Price

Senedd Member for Montgomeryshire Russell George has been suspended from the Welsh Conservatives after being charged with gambling related offences.

Mr George is one of 15 people who have been charged after bets were placed on the timing of the 2024 general election, the Gambling Commission revealed on Monday (April 14).

He is among a number of people linked to the Conservative Party reported to have made bets on the election date, which was called by then-prime minister Rishi Sunak.

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Neutral

Tom James - Director of the Welsh Conservative Party - has also been charged with the same gambling offences alongside former Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams.

Laura Saunders, who was Tory candidate for Bristol North West at the election and is married to the Conservative's campaign chief, has also been charged with the same offence.

In a statement, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Darren Millar said: "Having been informed that Russell George MS has been charged with gambling related offences, I have taken the decision to suspend him from the Welsh Conservative Group in the Senedd.

"The suspension is a neutral act pending the outcome of the justice process. There will be no further comment at this time."

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Offence

Mr George returned to the Tory front bench in October last year after a probe was launched into a bet on the General Election date.

At the time he said he was, "happy that I didn't do anything incorrect, and I'm just really happy to continue my job in the Senedd".

He was recently granted incumbency rights to stand in the number one spot on the Welsh Conservative list for the new Gwynedd Maldwyn super constituency at the 2026 Senedd election.