FIFTEEN people including an ex-Tory MP have been charged following a probe into bets placed on the date of the general election.

The Gambling Commission today confirmed that Craig Williams and 14 others will face court action after the investigation into last year’s poll.

Williams, 39, acted as then-Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Parliamentary aide for nearly two years before the Tories were booted from power.

He was among a number of people linked to the Conservative Party reported to have made bets on the election date which was called by Mr Sunak.

He admitted at the time to having a “flutter” on the date of the national poll just ahead of it being announced in May last year.

The investigation was started in June last year and “focused on individuals suspected of using confidential information”, the Gambling Commission said.

The watchdog said the focus was on individuals who could “gain an unfair advantage in betting markets”.

Such actions are seen as constituting the offence of cheating under the Gambling Act, which is a criminal offcence.

The others also facing charges are Russell George who is a member of the Welsh assembly for Montgomeryshire.

Nick Mason, a former chief data officer for the Conservative Party, has also been charged by the Gambling Commission.

Laura Saunders, who was the Tory candidate in Bristol North West at the election, has also been charged.

It emerged that she was married to the party’s campaign chief when the revelations first came out.

A former police officer, Jeremy Hunt, aged 55, has also been charged.

The probe by Gambling Commission is separate to that led by the Metropolitan Police which was discontinued.