In a surprising turn of events, a police constable who was part of UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's protection team has been arrested for allegedly making bets related to the timing of the general election. The constable was taken into custody on Monday on suspicion of misconduct in public office, according to a spokesperson from the Metropolitan Police.

The investigation was initiated after the Gambling Commission contacted the Metropolitan Police last Friday, notifying them of their probe into alleged bets made by the police constable from the Met's Royalty and Specialist Protection Command, specifically regarding the timing of the General Election. Following the constable's arrest, they were promptly removed from their operational duties and the matter was referred to the Met's Directorate of Professional Standards for further investigation.

It is worth mentioning that this arrest comes shortly after The Guardian newspaper reported that a close aide of Prime Minister Sunak had placed a £100 ($127) bet on a July election date before it had been publicly announced. The aide, Craig Williams, has since publicly apologized for his actions, acknowledging the error in judgment.

The police spokesperson confirmed that the Gambling Commission is leading the investigation into alleged betting offenses, and their parallel investigation will proceed accordingly.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday afternoon, the Conservative Party, led by Prime Minister Sunak, released a campaign ad on social media that read, "If you bet on Labour, you can never win," accompanied by a video of a roulette wheel. However, following the news of the police constable's arrest for allegedly betting on the election, many commenters have drawn attention to the irony of the situation.

The UK general election is scheduled to take place on July 4th. Recent opinion polls indicate that Prime Minister Sunak is currently trailing by approximately 20 points, with the opposition Labour Party seemingly on track for their first electoral victory since 2005.

Prime Minister Sunak's campaign has faced several setbacks, such as his apology for leaving the D-Day commemorations early in June to film a TV interview, which garnered widespread criticism and disappointment among the British public.

As the investigation into the police constable's alleged betting activities unfolds, it remains to be seen how this incident will impact the ongoing political climate leading up to the general election.