‘Former MP’ could face fraud charge as Met officers examine three more potential cases
A POLITICIAN faces being charged with fraud after police handed a file to prosecutors, it has emerged.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that a 51-year-old man, thought to be a former MP, was interviewed under caution last year and a file has been passed to the Crown Prosecution Service, which will decide if he will stand trial.
Three other allegations of expenses fraud or irregularities are also being looked at, according to the Met, after reports were sent to the police by the Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority and members of the public.
It follows the decision to charge Craig Mackinlay for falsely declaring election expenses in 2015. His trial is due to take place later this year. Although the parliamentary watchdog knows the identities of the politicians involved, it has not released them, citing concerns about data protection. Two of those involved in ongoing investigations
‘If there is sufficient evidence to refer it to the police then that is something people need to know’
by the police are thought to have stood as candidates for political parties in the 2017 election, according to the Daily Mail.
Sir Alistair Graham, the former chairman of the committee on standards in public life, told the paper: “They are innocent until proven guilty. But if there is sufficient evidence to refer it to the police then that is something people need to know.”
MPS’ expenses have been subject to close scrutiny following The Daily Telegraph’s exposé in 2009 of abuses of the system.
In a statement the police confirmed that four allegations made in 2015 have been concluded, but that a further four claims were reported in 2016.
It said: “Of these four Ipsa-related matters from 2016, one remains under assessment, two are currently under investigation, whilst a file has been passed to the CPS in relation to the fourth matter.” Commenting on the former MP, Scotland Yard said: “A 50-year-old man was interviewed under caution on 2 March 2017. A file has now been passed to the CPS.”