'Too late' to investigate Reform election overspend claims, Essex Police say
The force has assessed a report linked to the Clacton MP and ascertained that it falls outside the time limit
Police have said an investigation into allegations that Reform UK overspent on leader Nigel Farage’s general election campaign last year cannot take place after it highlighted the time period to appeal had lapsed.
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A former Reform councillor and member of Mr Farage’s campaign team, Richard Everett, was said to have submitted documents to the Metropolitan Police showing the party spent more than the £20,660 limit in the Essex constituency.
However, Essex Police have now said that the force has assessed a report linked to the Clacton MP and ascertained that it falls outside the one-year statutory time limit and “no investigation can take place”.
In a statement, Essex Police said: “We have assessed a report relating to an allegation around misreported expenditure by a political candidate in connection with the general election in July 2024.”
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In a statement to The Guardian, the force said the report had been made on December 5.
The force added: “Having regard to the Representation of the People Act 1983, which states any prosecution for such an offence must commence within one year, it has been concluded that this report falls outside of the stated statutory time limit, and no investigation can take place.”
Reform previously strongly denied breaking the law on election spending, and accused Mr Everett of being a “disgruntled former councillor” who was expelled from the party “several months ago”.
According to previous reports in the Daily Telegraph, Mr Everett claims Reform failed to declare spending on leaflets, banners, utility bills and the refurbishment of a bar in its Clacton campaign office.
He alleges that the party’s official returns report that it came just £400 under the spending limit set by electoral law, and the undeclared spending would have put it above the cap.
But he also said he thought Mr Farage himself had been “blissfully unaware”.
Labour Party chairwoman Anna Turley previously said: “Nigel Farage needs to reassure the public that he and his party will co-operate fully with the police and put all the evidence they need on the table.
“Electoral fraud is a very serious crime which fundamentally undermines our democracy.
“All parliamentarians, including party leaders, must play by the rules so all candidates have a fair hearing with the public.
“Nigel Farage needs to break his silence on this issue and demonstrate that he and Reform UK have followed the law at all times. Failure to do so will raise even more questions about what he has to hide.”
An Electoral Commission spokesperson said on Thursday: “We have responded to Anna Turley MP’s correspondence which raised questions about Reform UK’s spending at the 2024 general election.
“After carefully considering the information presented in the letter, we did not identify any expenditure relating to Mr Farage’s election campaign in Clacton that should have been declared in Reform UK’s national expenditure.”
Mr Everett, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform last year, has since left the party and now sits as an Independent councillor.
A Reform spokesman previously said: “These inaccurate claims come from a disgruntled former councillor. The party denies breaking electoral law. We look forward to clearing our name.”