TORIES BOUGHT 2015 ELECTION

First Minister’s explosive claim about campaign expenses

NICOLA Sturgeon yesterday sensationally claimed the Tories called the snap general election to dodge justice over expenses fraud.

The First Minister insisted Theresa May should not be allowed “to escape accountability” for alleged crimes that may have resulted in her party “buying the last general election”.

The incendiary comments came as the SNP leader addressed delegates at the Scottish Trades Union Congress in Aviemore.

More than a dozen Tory MPs are facing prosecution over campaign spending during the 2015 election after an investigation by our sister paper the Daily Mirror uncovered irregularities.

Sturgeon said the prospect of so many Tory MPs being bogged down in legal cases may have been behind May’s shock decision to have another election.

She told delegates the Prime Minister wanted to “strengthen the grip of the Tory party and crush dissent, and opposition, and to do so before possible criminal prosecutions for alleged expenses fraud at the last election catches up with her”.

Sturgeon added: “And whatever else happens in this election, we should not allow the Tory party to escape the accountability for any misdemeanours that may have led to them buying the last general election.”

Several Labour and SNP MPs have previously suggested the expenses scandal could have played a part in May’s decision.

But Sturgeon is by far the most senior politician to do so.

Her stark language stunned observers in Aviemore and set the tone for a bitter battle between the SNP and the Tories.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) have confirmed the receipt of election fraud files from 14 police forces, signalling at least 14 MPs are accused. It’s understood the CPS are considering charges against more than 30 individuals, including MPs, officials and election agents.

Police began investigating more than 24 Conservative MPs last March after it emerged they had benefited from battle buses packed with party activists but failed to declare the costs.

Not declaring all election spending is a criminal offence and the MPs and agents involved face a year in jail and an unlimited fine if convicted. May has been criticised for allowing those involved to stand again while the investigation is ongoing.

All the accused MPs deny wrongdoing and insist the battle bus activists were helping the national Tory campaign, so didn’t need to be declared locally.

But the Electoral Commission have said they are “satisfied that a proportion of the reported spending [on the battle buses] was candidate campaign spending” but was “not included in any relevant candidate’s campaign expenses return, casting doubt on the accuracy of those returns”.

Meanwhile, Sturgeon also tried to distance the election from the campaign for independence amid concerns moderate unionists are being driven to the Tories by the constitutional debate.

She told journalists in Aviemore: “People who want to make sure Scotland has got strong voices against the Conservatives at this election need to vote for the SNP, because that is what this election above all else is about.

“The election won’t decide whether or not Scotland will become independent – we got a mandate for a referendum in the election last year.

“This is about whether Scotland’s voice is heard and Scotland’s interests protected.

“There is a clear choice and a vote for the Tories is not some pain-free tactical vote – it has consequences. It will do what Theresa May has asked for, it will strengthen her hand.”

But Scottish Conservative MSP Miles Briggs hit back: “There is one cast-iron rule about the SNP – whenever it says something has got nothing to do with independence, it’s a sure fire way of knowing it has everything to do with independence.

“Just like she did in the after-the-Brexit vote last year, Nicola Sturgeon wants to try to use this election to boost her flagging case for a referendum. Everybody knows that.”

A Conservative spokesman said: “Campaign HQ have always taken the view that its nationally directed battlebus campaign was part of its national return.

“The Electoral Commission report makes clear that our interpretation of the guidance was correct.

“MPs in constituencies visited by the battle bus were directed that the bus would be visiting as part of CCHQ’s national spending.”

We should not allow the Tory party to escape accountability NICOLA STURGEON