Prosecutor considers charges over Tory MP’s election expenses

Police investigating the 2015 general election expenses of Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay have submitted a file to prosecutors to consider criminal charges.

It takes to 15 the number of police forces that have submitted files to the Crown Prosecution Service( CPS ), with decisions on whether to press charges due in late May and early June.

Kent Police have been investigating the party’s spending return for the South Thanet constituency, where Mr Mackinlay beat former Ukip leader Nigel Farage.

Mr Mackinlay defeated Mr Farage by more than 2,000 votes in a hardfought 2015 campaign, and the CPS will now review the dossier before deciding whether charges should be brought.

In a statement, Mr Mackinlay, who has been interviewed under caution as part of the inquiry, defended himself. He said: “I have done nothing wrong and acted honestly and properly throughout.”

Mr Mackinlay has previously said he intends to stand again for the South Thanet seat this year.

Kent Police said the file was submitted on April 18, the day the Prime Minister called the election, and relates to officers’ investigation of potential offences under the Representation of the People’s Act 1983.

Allegations relate to busloads of Conservative activists sent to key seats, whose expenses were reported as part of national campaign spend rather than falling within the lower constituency limits.

The precise deadlines for charging decisions vary from area to area, depending on the date last year on which the local force secured an extension to its investigations into alleged breaches of election finance laws.

Mr Mackinlay, above, defeated Nigel Farage by more than 2,000 votes.