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South Thanet election expense police inquiry extended | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A further 12 months have been granted to Kent Police to investigate claims of improper election spending by the Conservative Party. | |
The inquiry centres on the South Thanet constituency, won for the Tories in the general election by Craig MacKinlay, who beat UKIP leader Nigel Farage. | |
Granting the extension, District Judge Justin Barron described the allegations as "far-reaching". | |
The inquiry, he said, could lead to election results "being declared void." | |
"The consequences of a conviction would be of a local and national significance," the judge added. | |
The Tories blamed an "administrative error" for not declaring £38,000 of expenses for their Battlebus tour. | |
It follows a Channel 4 investigation into spending in key constituencies. | It follows a Channel 4 investigation into spending in key constituencies. |
Kent Police said their application at Folkestone Magistrates' Court had allowed for "a further 12 months for an investigation". | |
Local expenses | |
Seventeen police forces across the country are looking into whether some MPs' agents should have filed costs associated with battle bus visits to their constituencies in their local expenses. | Seventeen police forces across the country are looking into whether some MPs' agents should have filed costs associated with battle bus visits to their constituencies in their local expenses. |
However, the Tories said they had been campaigning "across the country for the return of a Conservative government" and, as a result, associated costs were regarded as national not local expenditure. | |
The extension had to be secured before a year elapsed following the filing of the election expenses. | The extension had to be secured before a year elapsed following the filing of the election expenses. |