Minister probed by police over election expenses
By politics.co.uk staff
Police have questioned David Mundell, a junior minister in the Scotland Office, over claims he broke the laws on election spending.
The minister, who is Scotland’s only Conservative MP, has refused calls to step down from his role during the investigation.
He was interviewed by police on Monday as part of a continuing probe into a possible breach of election law in his spending during the election campaign.
Police have been inquiring into the matter since July, when the Cabinet minister for Scotland, Lib Dem Michael Moore, backed Mr Mundell to stay in his job.
Mr Moore argued at the time that because the minister had referred himself to the Electoral Commission there was no need to take any action against him.
It is alleged that the Tory MP for Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale spent more than the allowable limit in the campaign, a discrepancy the minister has put down to an “accidental miscalculation”.
There has been no charge brought over the breach, though police are continuing to investigate.
Opposition politicians have called for Mr Mundell to step down as a minister, arguing his position is untenable.
