Tory candidate Craig Mackinlay charged over election expenses

Conservative candidate Craig Mackinlay has been charged by the Crown Prosecution Service for alleged overspending during the last general election campaign.

He will appear in court on 4^th June, just days before Britain heads to the polls on 8^th June. Mackinlay has been fighting to keep his South Thanet seat.

In a statement this morning, the CPS said: “We have concluded there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest to authorise charges against three people.”

Marion Little and Nathan Gray, both Tory staffers, have also been charged under the Representation of the People Act.

The news follows months of investigations into Tory expenses: the party has been accused of filing costs for battle bus visits to constituencies under national expenses, and so avoiding recording the costs locally. This, it has been alleged, enabled the party to exceed local election spending limits.

The Conservatives have denied all wrongdoing, and last month, 20 Tory candidates were told they would not be charged. This morning, a Tory spokesperson said: “We continue to believe that this remaining allegation is unfounded.”

https://twitter.com/cpsuk/status/870572536723107840

In 2005 Mackinlay defected from Ukip, having previously been deputy leader. In his 2015 South Thanet victory he triumphed over Nigel Farage, who was taking his seventh shot at becoming an MP.

This morning, Farage will likely wish that he had given South Thanet another shot.

For more of Prospect’s general election coverage, click here.