Minister's 'bet on Labour to lose'

27 April 2009 03:20am

Security minister Lord West of Spithead placed a bet on Labour to lose the upcoming General Election, it has been reported.

Home Office sources refused to comment on a report naming the Royal Navy admiral.

He was one of the figures from outside of politics recruited into Gordon Brown's "government of all the talents" when he took power in June 2007.

The Sunday Times raised eyebrows when it reported that a minister had told friends that he bet against an outright Labour victory at odds of 66-1 in mid-2007.

The report sparked speculation on the Westminster rumour mill over the identity of the unnamed minister, who reportedly said he stood to win a "substantial sum" if Mr Brown failed to secure an outright majority and was forced to form a coalition government with the Liberal Democrats.

Although there is nothing in the ministerial code preventing ministers betting against their own party, any confirmation that a member of the Government had done so would be bound to raise questions about their future.

It is not clear whether the wager, since reported on in the Daily Telegraph, was staked before or after Lord West's surprise elevation to ministerial office. As he held no position in the Labour Party prior to his appointment on June 29 2007, a bet before that date might be regarded as an embarrassment rather than a sacking matter.

Bookmakers are currently offering odds of around 3-1 on a Labour-Lib Dem coalition following the election expected in spring 2010, with Labour on about 8-1 to secure an outright victory, trailing the Conservative favourites on 1-2.

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