Tory election fraud: Prosecutions could be started ‘within weeks’
It seems any prosecutions may begin well before the May 9 deadline. And before anybody suggests Theresa May couldn’t have been in on any Tory election fraud, her government will suffer – and could end – if enough MPs lose their seats as a result of this.
According to The Times, Conservative MPs and campaigners involved in the Tory election fraud allegations may face prosecution within weeks.
The bad news is that the newspaper seems to think the number of investigations has been whittled down to fewer than 12.
Has anybody seen any announcements of investigations being halted in individual cases?
Nor have I.
This is the problem with the right-wing press – we get this constant drip… drip of misinformation and speculation with a pro-Tory slant.
Why can’t they just report the news?
Bubbling along, often little reported in the media*, has been a police investigation into whether Conservative MPs broke the law on election expenses at the general election.
Not only does the investigation go to the very top of the party, involving one of Theresa May’s closest aides, it also involves more than enough MPs to wipe out the Conservative majority in the House of Commons. The Electoral Commission has already had to go to court to force the Conservatives to hand over evidence.
Now the The Timesreports:
Senior [Conservative] figures fear that the results of up to half a dozen constituency votes could be declared void — causing hurried by-elections — if prosecutors decide to make an example of the party. Criminal charges against key individuals are also possible…
At one stage 24 investigations were taking place into seats where the Tories were suspected of spending more on their campaign than the legal limit. It is believed that this has been reduced to fewer than a dozen investigations in which the police believe the evidence warrants further examination.
Yesterday a police source said that files were expected to be sent to the Crown Prosecution Service within weeks.
Source: Police to send files to CPS “within weeks” on Conservative election fraud allegations
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They can’t say they didn’t ask for it. Tory arrogance and complacency towards the electorate often causes their downfall one way or another. Churchill, Eden, MacMillan, Heath and Thatcher all thought they could get away with things for ever because they were “entitled.” I hope the charges are substantial and not all directed at “fall guys.”
MIKE
Far as I remember, when this first kicked off, I understood there were 12-15 Tory MP’s under scrutiny. And I’m sure that there were no more than 6-8 of these, who, if their expenses were wrongly declared, would then have exceeded their overall limit of expenditure, and that this was mooted at the time.
And it would only be those who had exceeded their limit who could be disqualified from office, because they’d effectively won their seats by unfair means. The others may be guilty of a technical offence, but if they haven’t spent too much, they can probably get away with a fine.
Shame the police couldn’t investigate whether any Tory MP was actually summonable under the offence of impersonating a human being!
No, there were 29 investigations at the start. ALL were believed to have exceeded their limit, due to demonstrable facts.
Yes i’ve seen one in the Morcambe area. dont know his name but he has been let off the hook
Bet the files go missing in situ
I would hope there would be no quarter on any overspending and that every suspected case investigation is revealed to the public and the reasons for not taking the matter further. This is such a serious matter that it all needs to be made public we have the potential of a political party buying their power and taking over a Country. How more serious do the Police want to get their focus on this matter….this is not a speeding ticket or minor issue this is a major political fix. Now is not the time for Police to go soft and bending with the political wind otherwise they, the police, are deep into the same corruption they are supposed to be investigating impartially and without any political bias. To often in major issues the right people are always selected to ensure a clean bill of health is delivered and maybe the odd knuckle rapped and small fine metered out…..then wait for the honours list to see the reward for their lack lustre weak work. Otherwise we are no better than the thrid world countries we are quick to criticise with a bent system of power.
The police are in the Tories pocket and will do as little as they can all they want is for it to go away
There is always Crowdjustice. We have to keep the lads and lasses in Westminster destabilised else they simply lapse into smug complacency.
This Times report couldn’t be a shot across the bows of the Tory Party by Murdoch could it? With the Culture(!) Secretary supposedly minded to refer his bid for control of Sky to Ofcom is this just a reminder from Murdoch that they can’t control him like they can the BBC?
I shall be very disappointed and very suspicious if only 12 people are prosecuted. This was fraud on a large scale in which, not only the individual constituencies, but the whole nation was systematically defrauded by a group of selfish and nasty people who can’t bear to lose power.
Perhaps I’m not allowing enough time, but I’d of thought that this blog would have been full of comments by now!
Perhaps I haven’t got round to approving them yet.
I’m very much looking forward to this process getting started but I suspect they’ll manage to wriggle out of it, one way or another. As others have pointed out, the establishment will protect it’s own :-(
One thing is for sure, we need many more local whistle blowers to come forward about this extremely serious issue, and we must ensure their safety while they blow the whistle.
This Tory government MUST be ousted for the sake of the social, economic and democratic safety of the country.