A key aide to former PM Theresa May has led a debate in Parliament on reducing gambling restrictions in horseracing, after receiving £10,000 from one of the UK’s top race horse auctioneers.
Nick Timothy succeeded cabinet minister Matt Hancock as MP for West Suffolk in July at the General Election. Newmarket racecourse is in his constituency.
He received a £10,000 donation in August from Tattersalls, who have been selling race horses for over 250 years.
Mr Timothy, who is also a member of the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Bloodstock and Horseracing, led a debate today in Westminster Hall on the government’s support for the horseracing industry.
This is not the first time he’s raised the issue in Parliament
Last week, he posed a question to Secretary of State for Culture, Lisa Nandy, as to the government’s response to reducing gambling restrictions such as affordability checks and betting levies.
Horse racing is a £4.1 billion British success story, and derives much of its income from responsible gambling. Today I asked the Secretary of State if she will reform the Betting Levy and disproportionate affordability checks. pic.twitter.com/aMDEeqdzri
— Nick Timothy MP (@NJ_Timothy) October 17, 2024
Ms Nandy acknowledged today’s debate on the issue. The Tote, a leading British gambling company, is based in her constituency of Wigan.
The British Horseracing Authority welcomed Mr Timothy raising the issue in the House of Commons.
Tattersalls’ history of donations to Timothy’s constituency
This isn’t the first time a debate on this topic has been raised by a West Suffolk MP.
Matt Hancock, who has been vocal about his love of horseracing, led a Westminster Hall debate on the future of the sport last October.
He received three donations recorded in his name in 2019 from Tattersalls, who also made ten donations to his constituency office between 2011 and 2021.
Matt Hancock was did not make a comment to City News.
This latest donation to Nick Timothy brings the total donated by the Tattersalls to the West Suffolk constituency to around £186,350 over a period of 22 years as stated on the Electoral Commission’s website.
Tattersalls’ response
City News put questions to Tattersalls regarding this donation, but they refused to comment.
The company’s Marketing Director, Jimmy George, told the Independent in 2014:
“Yes, we’ve made donations over many years in support of our local MP, Matt Hancock, and before him Richard Spring. They’ve worked hard on behalf of the constituency and for the horse racing industry which is hugely important to us and to the community of Newmarket. And the donations reflect that.”
“Is Mr Timothy speaking for his own interests or that of his donors?”
The Electoral Commission requires donations over £500 to be recorded, which Mr Timothy has done.
Peter Geoghegan, an investigative journalist who has written extensively about political donations, told City News that greater clarity from the financial donations system is needed.
“Nick Timothy might have a heartfelt interest in horse racing but the fact that he is a leading a debate on the issue after accepting donations from the horse racing industry is really problematic. Is Mr Timothy speaking for his own interests or that of his donors? The way our system is set up, it’s impossible to tell.”
Nick Timothy was approached by City News but declined to comment.
