Former UK gambling minister under fire for post-ministerial jobs

The former gambling minister John Whittingdale has been criticised for post-ministerial work for a consulting firm and a speech to the Betting and Gaming Council.

UK.- The former UK media minister John Whittingdale has come under fire for post-ministerial jobs he took after leaving the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in September last year.

Whittingdale, who was responsible for the gambling industry as part of his role, took jobs without seeking permission from the government.

Whittingdale oversaw the UK government’s review of gambling legislation until he was replaced by Chris Philp after a cabinet reshuffle in September. According to the British government’s ministerial code, former ministers must seek permission from the Advisory Committee on Business Appointments (ACOBA) for all employment other than one-off activities for two years after they leave office.

However, it’s been reported that Whittingdale failed to make an application to the ACOBA for work done for the consulting firm AlphaSights for which he was paid £458.33 for an hour’s work in November and £1,000 for an hour’s work in January.

The former minister also earned £6,000 for two hours’ work giving a speech to the gambling sector lobbying group, the Betting and Gaming Council.

The latter gig would fall under the ACOBA’s exemption for one-off activities, but it’s been claimed that Whittingdale may have mentioned privileged information that was available to him while in office which would mean a violation of rules. 

Whittingdale has claimed any references to evidence on the link between problem gambling and advertising that he made in that speech were based on public domain academic and Gambling Commission studies rather than privileged information.

However, anti-gambling campaigners have questioned records that show he met with the Betting and Gaming Council six times between March and August 2021.

Matt Zarb-Cousin, director of Clean Up Gambling, told Business Insider: “As we build up to the conclusion of the gambling review process, the betting lobby is desperate to look after the few friends it has in Parliament.

“But it leaves a bad taste that John Whittingdale, who was the gambling minister during part of this process, would be so willing to accept payments from the betting lobby while virtually reading from their script.”