Police probe Swinson’s election spending

Police Scotland will investigate a complaint against the Liberal Democrat deputy leader Jo Swinson over her election expenses, it has been confirmed.

The Liberal Democrats hit back over the claim against the East Dunbartonshire MP, accusing the SNP of wasting police time.

The complaint is understood to have come from one of Ms Swinson’s constituents. In June, she took back the top Lib Dem target seat lost to the SNP in 2015.

Her election expenses were reported to be just £210 below the legal limit, after £7,000 worth of costs were disregarded as going towards election materials that were not delivered, or national spending.

In August, the SNP claimed Ms Swinson was “living dangerously close to spending limits” and faced “serious questions”.

Last year police investigated claims against Lib Dem MSP Alex Colehamilton, with the Crown Office later saying he would not be prosecuted. The Lib Dems said the complaint was a “classic SNP tactic when they have lost an election”. A spokesman said: “Last year they wasted 13 months of police time. As in Edinburgh Western, we have full confidence that there is no substance to this complaint.”