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MP guilty

19-03-1999

Newark MP Mrs Fiona Jones and her election agent Mr Des Whicher have been convicted by a jury at Nottingham Crown Court of making a false declaration of election expenses. 

Jones (42) automatically lost her seat and Whicher (73) a town and district councillor, faces disqualification from holding public office.

After the verdict on Friday, Jones was ordered to complete 100 hours' community service and was told that in all probability her political career was in tatters. Whicher was fined £750.

The judge, Mr Justice Jowitt, said they did not consider what money was being spent during the election.

They found that they could not keep within the election spending limit because of the use of a voter registration database and two offices in Newark and Retford.

He said it was not a case where they deliberately set out to exceed the election spending limit, but they were caught out by a lack of proper forethought.

Mr Roy Amlott QC, for Jones, said the consequences for her were grave. It was automatic and inevitable that her seat was vacated.

Mr Edward Fitzgerald QC, for Whicher, said he would be disqualified from public office and would have to resign as a district and town councillor. He would feel he should resign as a trustee of a number of charities.

Immediately after the hearing, both Jones and Whicher said they intended to appeal against the verdicts.

Jones later said in a radio interview that she had done her best to complete her expenses return from the General Election campaign properly.

"I don't believe I have done anything wrong.

"My view has always been that we made an honest and reasonable attempt to complete our return.

"I still view it as the case that I did stick to the law as I understood it."

She said the verdict was sad for democracy and she complained that the election laws drawn up in the last century were inadequate for the demands of a modern campaign.

Jones said: "The Representation of the People Act is an out-of-date law which is widely acknowledged as being very unclear.

"Lay people are required to fill in an expenses return on the basis of very unclear directions and the penalties for filling in that form in the wrong way are very severe.

"The idea that we are requested as lay people to do it is a problem."

It is the first time in 75 years that an MP has been convicted of electoral malpractice.

The law allowed Jones to spend only £8,900 on her campaign. She declared £400 less, but she was accused of spending more than double the limit.

It is thought possible that a by-election will be held on May 6. The constituency was held by the Conservatives for 18 years until 1997, when Jones won it with a 3,000 majority

The Advertiser web site broke the news of the verdict, publishing it within two minutes of the jury's return.

 

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