Expenses investigation a ‘waste of resources’, says MP

MELKSHAM’S MP has hit out at allegations that her 2015 election campaign was over budget after Wiltshire Police last week confirmed it was investigating both the current and former Chippenham MPs’ spending.

Both the current member of Parliament, Michelle Donelan, and her predecessor Duncan Hames are being investigated by the county’s police force in relation to the ‘alleged malpractice of local election expenses.’

The news comes as a number of Conservative MPs nationwide are being scrutinised for not declaring expenses incurred by visits from the party’s ‘battle bus.’

Detective Sergeant Jonathan Lee from Wiltshire Police’s Fraud Department said, “Wiltshire Police have been successful in their application to extend the time for the investigation relating to the alleged malpractice of local election expenses, surrounding Chippenham MP Michelle Donelan and former Chippenham MP Duncan Hames.

“There will now follow a proportionate investigation by us until we receive further direction and evidence from the Electoral Commission following its investigation.”

The police confirmed the investigation was relating only to the alleged use of ‘battle buses.’

Local Conservative MP Michelle Donelan – who last year won a landslide victory with over 26,000 votes –  vehemently denies the allegations.

She told Melksham News, “I would like to be absolutely clear that the Battle Bus did not visit my constituency. The Prime Minister did visit the constituency in a Leader’s bus but, significantly, this is not the bus in question.

“The battle bus filled with activists toured constituencies in the last ten days [of the campaign] – a simple fact check shows that it never came to Chippenham.

“Whilst in one way I welcome the investigation that I know will show these claims to be entirely false, it is a shame that police resources are being wasted in such a way. Given that the Battle Bus never visited my constituency I expect the police’s investigations to be concluded swiftly. I am in the process of seeking retractions about false media claims made in reference to the bus coming and will take legal action against any such further claims.”

High profile politicians David Cameron and Boris Johnson both visited Ms. Donelan in Wiltshire during her election campaign last year.

Former MP for Chippenham, Duncan Hames, is also being investigated.

Then-leader of the Liberal Democrats, Nick Clegg, visited the area last year and was photographed at the Glove Factory in Holt, Duncan Hames’ home village.

A party spokesperson said, “The party leader’s tour bus certainly did visit the Chippenham constituency during last year’s General Election. This is a bus that transports the leader, staff and journalists around the country during the election. All parties, including the Conservatives, allocate this tour bus to national expenses.

“The leader’s tour is entirely different to the series of complaints facing the Conservatives, who paid for buses to take activists to specifically campaign, deliver leaflets and knock on doors in individual constituencies.

“Transport and expenses for these activists should appear in local expenses. That is the substantive issue for investigation, not the buses in which Cameron, Miliband or Nick Clegg travelled the country.”