‘Gamblegate’ is still running strong in the papers and on broadcast as Craig Williams and Laura Saunders are dropped as Tory candidates. The scandal reveals a curious little web created by the revolving door at the top of the police, British government, and media – not that anyone has been bothered to mention it. Leave it to Guido…

This morning’s Telegraph reports that the Metropolitan Police is behind leaks of the names of Tories who allegedly put bets on the election date. Guido previously pointed out the proximity of the Gambling Commission to Labour. The Telegraph reports:

“Scotland Yard has been accused of leaking the identities of Tories implicated in the general election betting scandal. The Telegraph has also been told that a further five police officers are currently under investigation by the Gambling Commission, the industry watchdog, for placing bets on the date of the general election. A source close to the Cabinet Office said it was suspected that the identities of Conservative candidates and officials had been leaked from within the Metropolitan Police, Britain’s biggest force.”

This is an unusually blunt accusation during election purdah from the usually impenetrable Cabinet Office. Who is the current Director of Comms of the Met? None other than Ray Tang, the former Cabinet Office comms chief who acted as Sue Gray’s personal spin doctor during ‘partygate’. Gray, of course, is now Keir Starmer’s right hand woman…

Mr Tang, who recently received an OBE for ‘public service’, runs the comms department now being publicly accused of leaking the betting scandal names by his former colleagues in the Cabinet Office. In so doing, Cabinet Office sources are basically suggesting that the Met is effectively aiding Labour. The Met have put out a strong denial this morning, calling the Cabinet Office’s claim ‘simply untrue’. Former ethics chief Sue Gray can’t be involved…