Craig Williams (British politician)

Alun Craig Williams (born 7 June 1985) is a British politician who was Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Prime Minister from October 2022 until June 2024. A member of the Conservative Party, he was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Cardiff North from 2015 to 2017, when he was defeated for reelection by the Labour Party's Anna McMorrin. In 2019, Williams was elected as the MP for Montgomeryshire, but lost the seat in the 2024 general election.

Three days prior to the announcement of the date of 2024 general election, Williams placed a £100 bet that it would be held in July. The bet was referred to the Gambling Commission to determine whether Williams had placed the bet based on confidential information, which could constitute a criminal offence. Williams' bet became part of a wider scandal involving other members of the Conservative Party. On 25 June 2024, the party announced it was withdrawing support for Williams’s candidacy in the election, and that should he be elected he would not be granted the Conservative whip.

Early life and education
Williams was born in Welshpool, Powys, to David and Andrea Williams. He attended Gungrog Road school, Ysgol Maesydre and Welshpool High School. He went on to further education at Walford College and the University of Birmingham.

Parliamentary career
Williams first stood for office in Cardiff West against the Welsh First Minister Rhodri Morgan in the 2007 National Assembly for Wales election. Williams had represented Pentyrch ward on City of Cardiff Council from 2008, and unsuccessfully contested the 2012 Cardiff South and Penarth by-election, coming second to Labour's Stephen Doughty. Whilst on the council, he was Chairman of the Economy Committee from 2012 to 2015. He was Director of Cardiff Bus from 2011 to 2015. In May 2015, he was elected Member of Parliament for the marginal seat of Cardiff North. In July 2015, Williams was elected as a member of the Work and Pensions Select Committee, a position which he held until October 2016. Williams then served as a member of the Welsh Affairs Select Committee and the Scottish Affairs Select Committee.

Williams was opposed to Brexit prior to the 2016 UK European Union membership referendum, and consistently voted with the Government Whip. He lost his seat at the June 2017 general election to Labour's Anna McMorrin. Prior to the 2019 UK general election, Williams was a Special Adviser to the Secretary of State for Exiting the European Union, Steve Barclay. In July 2019, Williams was announced as the Conservative candidate for the constituency of Montgomeryshire for the next general election, where the sitting Conservative MP Glyn Davies was standing down. In the general election held in December 2019, Williams won the seat with 59% of the vote, and consequently returned to Westminster. He increased the Conservative majority in Montgomeryshire to over 12,000 votes.

Williams was appointed Parliamentary Private Secretary to his former boss, Steve Barclay, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury. He also joined the International Trade Select Committee and European Statutory Instruments Committee. In addition, he chaired the All Party Parliamentary Groups on Wales in the World and International Trade and Investment. In November 2020 it was alleged that Williams was napping on the parliamentary benches, and a social media clip suggested that he was not paying attention, or even sleeping. Williams claimed this was due to a partial deafness in one ear, which he confirmed during a speech on the British Sign Language Bill. In 2022, Williams resigned from his position as Parliamentary Private Secretary, having lost confidence in the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson.

Williams was sworn in as a Privy Counsellor in November 2023, entitling him to the style The Right Honourable for life.

On 12 June 2024, a governmental betting scandal began when it became known that Williams had placed a £100 bet on a July date for the 2024 UK general election, three days before a July date was announced. The bet was referred to the Gambling Commission to determine whether Williams had placed the bet based on confidential information, which could constitute a criminal offence. Williams apologised for the bet, but neither he nor Sunak would answer whether he had inside information. The Gambling Commission wrote to Sunak about Williams. Foreign Secretary David Cameron said that Williams's bet on the election was "very foolish". On 25 June 2024, the Conservative Party announced it would be withdrawing support for Williams and would no longer devote resources to his campaign. Due to ballots already being printed and sent out in early voting, Williams would remain listed as the Conservative Party candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr but would not be granted the Conservative whip if elected.

The results of the 2024 general election for the Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr constituency reveal that Craig Williams lost his seat to the Labour Party with his vote tally (7,775) third behind Labour (12,709) and The Reform Party (8,894).

Personal life
Williams married Clare Bath in 2013, with whom he has a son and a daughter. He is a member of the Carlton Club as well as the Cardiff and County Club. Williams is a school governor at a primary school.