Craig Mackinlay, the South Thanet Conservative MP who defeated former UKIP leader Nigel Farage in the 2015 general election, pleaded ‘not guilty’ to fraud charges related to election expenses.
Appearing before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Mackinlay, 50, as well as his election agent Nathan Gray, 28, and party activist Marion Little, 62, were all charged under the Representation of the People Act 1983.
Prosecutor Zoe Martin outlined the case: “Following news reports in early 2016 that suggested that the Conservative Party’s spending returns for the UK General Election of 2015, amongst others, may not have been accurate or complete, the Electoral Commission opened an investigation in this regard in February of the same year.
“In due course various findings were made against the Conservative Party and penalties imposed pursuant to the Commission’s powers under the Political Parties, Elections and Referendums Act 2000.”
The fraud charges relate to expenses incurred during the campaign in South Thanet which were allegedly wrongly attributed to national expenditure instead of local expenditure.
Electoral Commission spending rules stipulate that parties disclose national spending separately from funds used to promote candidates, and spending limits apply. Breaches to spending are said to concern the costs of ‘battle buses’ used to bring activists to Thanet and hotel accommodation.
Mackinlay was charged with two counts of making false election expenses declarations. Mr. Gray was charged with one count of making a false election expenses declaration, and Ms. Little of three counts of the same charge.
If convicted, Mackinlay, Gray, and Little could face one year in prison.
All three were released on unconditional bail ahead of their next appearance at Southwark Crown Court on August 1st.
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