Sunday, January 22, 2006

Mark Oaten is Innocent Party in Potential Betting Scandal

Is there such a thing as OFBet? Earlier this week William Hill opened a book on whether Mark Oaten would hold his seat at the next election. Bear in mind that when they did this he was still a candidate in the leadership contest and the Rent Boy scandal was still firmly under wraps... apart, of course, to a selection of News of the World journalists and maybe a very very small number of other people. With a majority of more than 9,000 most independent observers would regard the possibility of him losing as rather unlikely...unless, unless there was something that might cause a spectacular downfall. I know nothing about betting and do not partake in it (he says, with a slightly Paddy Ashdown-esque holier than thou moral tone) but I know the stink of hypocrisy when I smell it. Anyone know which body regulates the likes of William Hill so I can ask for an official inquiry and the for the book to be opened? I understand that's the terminology!

UPDATE: I understand from PoliticalBetting.com there were also strange betting movements on Betfair related to Oaten.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

I've raised this on PB.com. Oaten drifted on betfair all week for no real reason other than inside information. The William Hill book about him retaining his seat seemed very odd as well. There is an investigation into the betting patterns regarding Harry Redknapps move to Portsmouth. I'll write to betfair asking for a similar investigation into the Oaten drift.

Anonymous said...

I believe the regulating authority for Wm Hill is the FSA - certainly this is the case with regard to the spread betting firms.

Iain Dale said...
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