UUP advisor suggested border poll to boost party vote but admitted it could seem ‘tacky'
An adviser to David Trimble suggested that a border poll could be held at the same time as the 2001 General Election because he thought it would help get UUP voters out to polling stations.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
BBC News
5 hours ago
- BBC News
Ex-Tory MP among 15 in court to face betting charges
PA Media Fifteen people, including former Tory MP Craig Williams, have appeared in court charged with betting offences linked to the timing of last year's general election. It follows an investigation by the Gambling Commission into alleged betting on the date of the election. Appearing at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday, Williams was among three defendants who gave no indication of a plea at this stage. Twelve others, including Russell George, a former Conservative now independent member of the Welsh Senedd, indicated they would deny the charges. The defendants will appear again at Southwark Crown Court on July 11. On 22 May 2024, Rishi Sunak announced the general election would be held on 4 July that year, overturning previous expectations of an autumn poll. Prosecuting on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said Sunak was among those to have given a witness statement in the case. Mr Stein told the court the commission's investigation was launched into "politicians and employees of the Conservative Party, and a former police officer... who had placed bets on the date of the 2024 general election with the benefit of confidential or insider information as to when that date might be". "The prosecution says that placing bets with inside information is a criminal offence, namely cheating," he added. Before the election was called, Williams was the MP for Montgomeryshire and a parliamentary aide to Sunak. He was previously MP for Cardiff North between 2015 and 2017, before he lost his seat to Labour in the election that year. Along with Williams, former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, and Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond, west London, did not indicate a plea. Along with George, those indicating a not guilty plea included Laura Saunders, the former Conservative parliamentary candidate in Bristol North West, and her partner Anthony Lee. The others indicating they would deny the charges included Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey, Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex, Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex, Thomas James, 38, Charlotte Lang, 36, Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nick Mason, 51, Paul Place, 54, from Hammersmith, west London and James Ward, 40, of Leeds.
Powys County Times
12 hours ago
- Powys County Times
Powys Tory politicians linked to gambling scandal in court
Former Montgomeryshire MP Craig Williams gave no plea as he appeared in court for the first time over charges of cheating by gambling on the date of the 2024 General Election. But Russell George, the current Conservative MS for Montgomeryshire, entered a not guilty plea as the pair, along with 13 other defendants, appeared before magistrates on Friday (June 13). Mr Williams, 39, who served as the Tory MP for Montgomeryshire at the time of the alleged offences, has been charged with cheating at gambling and three counts of enabling or assisting others to cheat. Williams, of Llanfair Caereinion, who served as parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak during his time as prime minister, appeared at Westminster Magistrates Court today (Friday, June 13), alongside 14 others charged with similar offences. He did not enter a plea. Others included George, 50, who remains a Member of the Senedd but has been suspended from the Conservative party, and Thomas James, 38, the suspended director of the Welsh Conservatives, both of whom indicated not guilty pleas. The charges come after 'Operation Scott' was launched to investigate gambling by politicians and employees of the Conservative Party in the lead-up to the 2024 general election. Rishi Sunak, who has provided a witness statement in this case, had noted that elections would take place in the second half of the year but had not given a date. Prosecuting on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said: 'Operation Scott was an investigation launched by the gambling commission into politicians and employees of the Conservative Party, and a former police officer… who had placed bets on the date of the 2024 general election with the benefit of confidential or insider information as to when that date might be. 'The prosecution says that placing bets with inside information is a criminal offence, namely cheating.' Williams became MP for Montgomeryshire at the 2019 general election which he lost in July last year. The 15 defendants are alleged to have placed bets based on confidential information, or enabling others to place bets by passing information on. If convicted, they could face up to two years in prison for these offences. Twelve of the defendants indicated not guilty pleas. They were: Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey; Russell George, 50; Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex; Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex; Thomas James, 38; Charlotte Lang, 36; Anthony Lee, 47; Laura Saunders, 37; Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne; Nick Mason, 51; Paul Place, 53, from Hammersmith, west London; and James Ward, 40, of Leeds, all indicated they would deny the charges. Former MP Williams along with Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond, West London, and former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, gave no indication of plea. The 15 accused gamblers will appear at Southwark Crown Court on July 11.
BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Ex-Tory MP among 15 in court facing betting charges
Fifteen people, including former Tory MP Craig Williams, have appeared in court charged with betting offences linked to the timing of last year's general follows an investigation by the Gambling Commission into alleged betting on the date of the at Westminster Magistrates Court on Friday, Williams was among three defendants who gave no indication of a plea at this others, including Russell George, a former Conservative now independent member of the Welsh Senedd, indicated they would deny the defendants will appear again at Southwark Crown Court on July 11. On 22 May 2024, Rishi Sunak announced the general election would be held on 4 July that year, overturning previous expectations of an autumn on behalf of the Gambling Commission, Sam Stein KC said Sunak was among those to have given a witness statement in the Stein told the court the commission's investigation was launched into "politicians and employees of the Conservative Party, and a former police officer... who had placed bets on the date of the 2024 general election with the benefit of confidential or insider information as to when that date might be"."The prosecution says that placing bets with inside information is a criminal offence, namely cheating," he the election was called, Williams was the MP for Montgomeryshire and a parliamentary aide to was previously MP for Cardiff North between 2015 and 2017, before he lost his seat to Labour in the election that with Williams, former police officer Jeremy Hunt, 55, of Horne in Surrey, and Jacob Willmer, 39, from Richmond, west London, did not indicate a with George, those indicating a not guilty plea included Laura Saunders, the former Conservative parliamentary candidate in Bristol North West, and her partner Anthony others indicating they would deny the charges included Simon Chatfield, 51, from Farnham, Surrey, Amy Hind, 34, of Loughton, Essex, Anthony Hind, 36, of Loughton, Essex, Thomas James, 38, Charlotte Lang, 36, Iain Makepeace, 47, from Newcastle Upon Tyne, Nick Mason, 51, Paul Place, 54, from Hammersmith, west London and James Ward, 40, of Leeds.
