British Conservative MP charged over campaign expenses scandal

LONDON: British prosecutors yesterday charged a Conservative MP who is standing in next week’s general election with submitting false campaign spending returns at the last election in a blow for the ruling party.

Craig Mackinlay, 50, won out in the 2015 election against then UK Independence Party leader Nigel Farage in South Thanet, a coastal seat in southeast England.

Mackinlay is standing for the same seat this year.

The criminal charges against him do not mean that he now has to bow out of the race and his name remains on the ballot, the Electoral Commission said.

He has been charged with making spending declarations ‘ falsely’ under the Representation of the People Act, the Crown Prosecution Service said in a statement.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Theresa May’s Conservative Party said a wider investigation into 2015 campaign expenses that did not result in any other charges was based on ‘numerous politically motivated and unfounded complaints’.

“We continue to believe that this remaining allegation is unfounded. Our candidate has made clear that there was no intention by him or his campaigners to engage in any inappropriate activity. We believe that they have done nothing wrong, and we are confident that this will be proven as the matter progresses.”

Mackinlay is being charged along with Conservative campaigners Nathan Gray, 28, and Marion Little, 62.

The three are due to appear in court on July 4.