Will these Tories face criminal investigations over their election overspending?
The dirty two-dozen: These are the Conservatives who broke general election spending limits.
It’s looking bad for the 24 Tories named as having exceeded their election spending limits in order to win the Conservatives a majority in the general election last year.
Former Liberal Democrat MP Adrian Sanders wiped the floor with Martha Kearney when she tried to present the Conservative side to him on The World at One today (Thursday).
This Writer particularly enjoyed the part where, challenged by the WATO reporter that the Tories say the hotel costs and the battle bus were part of the national election budget, Mr Sanders pointed out that the bus only visited fewer than 30 constituencies that the Tories needed to gain in order to form a Conservative government, rather than all 650.
He said people vote for particular candidates, not for parties. If anyone is asked to vote for a candidate because it could make the difference, then the money spent on the request is a local request, not a national one.
And he said direct mail being sent to the target seats was an extremely expensive operation, targeted on a few seats, totally outspending all other parties.
A former Liberal Democrat MP, who lost his seat to the Conservatives at the last general election, says the police should investigate the Tories’ campaign spending.
The party has admitted that an ‘administrative error’ meant it failed to declare thousands of pounds spent on hotels for activists on its battle buses. It said it had brought it to the attention of the Electoral Commission.
Adrian Sanders — who was ousted from Torbay by the Conservative, Kevin Foster — told Martha Kearney that the police should be involved.
Devon and Cornwall Police said it would liaise with the Electoral Commission to determine if there was evidence of any offences.
Source: BBC Radio 4 – World at One, Police urged to investigate Conservatives’ election spending
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I have signed a local petition to get the Police to investigate the Tory who won a seat in the constituency adjoining mine, but I won’t hold my breath. It is in the public interest to see any corrupt cheats prosecuted.
You need to call your local police, get as high up as possible, try Chief Constables office and report it as a crime. They are then duty bound to act.
Would be nice if the police actually act on this but the electoral reform don’t seem to be overly bothered at this time
No!
Are there Tory P.C.C’s in these constituencies by any chance?
what about parliamentary standards?
The standards commissioner is a Tory puppet.
But this is a matter for the electoral commission and the police.
Can you imagine the (s)tories reaction if this had been Labour cheating on electoral spending?
They must be prosecuted – anything else will rightly be considered to be the conspiracy to pervert the course of justice it would undoubtedly be.
The result of the election should be set aside and a fresh one called, as it is clear that the result was tarnished by criminal activity on the part of the party which “won” (criminally bought) it’s majority. And that party should be barred from participation.
They’ve already shown they can’t be trusted not to cheat, so the best way is to kick them out of the whole process.
It also calls into question the legality of all legislation “passed” by this criminal conspiracy – surely it should be set aside, as fraudulently obtained.
Stealing control of the whole country is pretty much what most people would describe as treason.
The most rational and simply the wisest recommendation .
Indeed,having seen this THERE IS SIMPLY NO OTHER FORM OF JUSTICE OBTAINABLE.
Let’s not get into a situation where the people feel that their only option to obtain justice involves taking direct action.
Riots are nasty and fearsome, almost as much so as living under an unelected unpopular oppressive regime.
They will not be prosecuted and nothing will come of this law breaking.
Unfortunately highly unlikely any prosecutions as past the 12 month time limit but it does leave an extremely bad taste in the mouth . . . .
No, we are NOT past the 12 month time-limit. May comes AFTER April, you know.
I posted a comment earlier today- now I can’t find it can you help please?
Not at the moment as I’m tied up with the election all day. Will check later.