According to the BBC, Tony Lee, the director of campaigning for the Conservative Party, is currently being investigated by the Gambling Commission regarding an alleged bet related to the timing of the general election. Mr. Lee, who took a leave of absence from his position on Wednesday, is married to Laura Saunders, a Conservative candidate who is also being scrutinized by the betting industry regulator.

Laura Saunders has been a member of the Conservative Party since 2015 and is Mr. Lee's partner. The details regarding when the alleged bets were placed or the amounts involved remain unknown. Both Saunders and Lee have been approached for comment by the BBC, but have yet to respond.

The general election date, which was announced as July 4th by Rishi Sunak on May 22nd, came as a surprise to many in Westminster. In response to the investigation, a spokesperson for the Conservative Party stated that they have been contacted by the Gambling Commission regarding a small number of individuals. The party has chosen not to comment further until the process is concluded.

Using confidential information to gain an unfair advantage in betting is considered a criminal offense under section 42 of the Gambling Act. The Gambling Commission, which regulates gambling in the interest of consumers and the public, has confirmed that they are investigating the possibility of offenses related to the election date. However, they are unable to provide further details at this time or confirm the identities of the individuals involved.

Last week, it was alleged that Craig Williams, one of Rishi Sunak's closest aides, placed a £100 bet on a July polling day just three days before the prime minister announced the date. Williams, who was the Tory MP for Montgomery until the election was called, has apologized and admitted to a "huge error of judgment." However, he has declined to confirm whether he placed the bet based on inside information when questioned by the BBC.

Both the Labour Party and the Liberal Democrats have called for the suspension of Laura Saunders and Craig Williams as Conservative candidates. They argue that if it were one of their own candidates, they would be immediately removed. Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper emphasized the importance of prioritizing the needs of the country over personal financial gain.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove expressed his disapproval of anyone using "inside information" for betting purposes and stated that it would be "deeply wrong." He refrained from delving into the specifics of the case while the investigation is ongoing.

Angela Richardson, the Conservative candidate in Guildford, voiced her deep disappointment and described the alleged bets as disrespectful to the Prime Minister and party activists. She emphasized that such actions would never occur to her.

In another development, it was revealed that a police officer from the Prime Minister's close protection team had been arrested following allegations of bets on the timing of the election. The officer was initially suspended by the Metropolitan Police on misconduct charges and has since been released on bail pending further inquiries.

Labour's campaign coordinator, Pat McFadden, has written to the Prime Minister questioning why Laura Saunders and Craig Williams are still allowed to stand as Conservative candidates when a serving police officer has been suspended over similar allegations.

As the investigation progresses, more details are expected to emerge. It remains to be seen how the Conservative Party will respond to these allegations and what impact they may have on the upcoming general election.