Two MPs reported to police by watchdog over election spending | Politics | News

Two MPs have been referred to their local police forces by the UK elections watchdog after newly-published data suggested they breached spending limits in last year’s campaign. Lib Dem MP for St Neots and Mid Cambridgeshire Ian Sollom, and Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth Perran Moon are both accused of breaching election rules.

According to Electoral Commission data published this week, both spent more than the statutory limit allows during the general election campaign. The data reported that Mr Sollom spent £29,941.76, more than the £20,763.80 limit, representing a total spend of 145.52% of the limit. Mr Moon was reported as spending £21,680.31, more than the £20,068.88 limit, a total spend of 108.03% of the limit.

In a statement to the Express, a commission spokesman said they have now shared relevant information with the relevant police forces.

They said: “We publish the information as it appears on the candidate’s return so that it is an accurate record of what was submitted to the Returning Officer. We do not make any corrections or alterations.

“Electoral offences regarding candidate donations and expenses fall under the Representation of the People Act (RPA) 1983 and are therefore for police forces to consider.

“Following our review of the candidate returns, we have shared information with relevant police forces where potential offences may have occurred.

“In some cases, we have identified that the candidate declared the money they received in donations as the total spending figure.

“By adding each of the category totals together, you can see the total spending incurred.”

A spokesman for Cambridgeshire Constabulary confirmed they are now reviewing the commission’s submissions.

A police spokesman said: “Police have received three referrals from the Electoral Commission related to the General Election last year and are currently reviewing them before considering whether further investigation is required.”

Devon and Cornwall Police refused to comment.

Kevin Hollinrake, the Conservative Shadow Secretary of State for Communities, told the Express: “We have spending limits in general elections to ensure a level playing field and protect free and fair elections.

“The Electoral Commission’s own figures now raise serious questions about whether the law has been followed by these Labour and Liberal Democrat MPs. There should be a full forensic investigation by the police into this spending.”

Spokesmen for both the Liberal Democrats and the Labour Party insisted both MPs did not breach election law, and that the Electoral Commission’s data is incorrect.

The Lib Dems told the Express: “The candidate spend in this seat was under the spending limit.

“A minor administrative error when filling in the form means this was not correctly reflected in the published figures, we are now taking steps to get this rectified.”

A Labour spokesman said: “We are confident that the campaign’s declarable spend was well below the limit and this is clearly shown in the detailed breakdown of declarable spend.

The news comes just two days after the Electoral Commission confirmed it is making inquiries into Angela Rayner’s election battle bus, after allegations emerged about its use last July not being declared properly.

Last month it was reported that the bright red coach used by the deputy Labour leader is now at the centre of a police investigation in Lancashire following complaints about Labour candidate Lizzie Collinge’s spending.

Ms Collinge’s election expenses were declared at £18,446.96, just under the legal limit of £20,000. However Ms Rayner’s battle bus, which visited the Morecambe constituency as part of the election campaign, was not included in Ms Collinge’s returns.

The Tories have also identified five other constituencies that Ms Rayner’s battle bus visited during the election, and whose Labour candidate did not declare the costs in their returns.

Tory frontbencher Kevin Hollinrake wrote to the Electoral Commission following the news reports, calling for a “thorough investigation by both the police and Electoral Commission… into what could be the tip of the iceberg.”