Met Police finish probe into pro-Brexit campaigners

The Metropolitan Police has ended its investigation into two pro-Brexit campaigners after allegations made by the Electoral Fee.

The watchdog accused Vote Depart’s Alan Halsall and Be Depart founder Darren Grimes of breaking spending restrict legislation.

Vote Depart paid a £61,000 tremendous, however denied wrongdoing, whereas Mr Grimes gained an attraction towards his £20,000 tremendous.

The Met stated it stopped pursuing the case after contemplating recommendation from the Crown Prosecution Service.

Mr Halsall stated he was “delighted” that his “three yr nightmare is over”, whereas Mr Grimes stated he was “thrilled”.

However the pair repeated accusations towards the Electoral Fee that it was politically biased towards Depart campaigners.

A spokesman for the Fee stated it was “proper that potential electoral offences are correctly investigated by the suitable authority”.

He added there was “no substance to allegations that the Fee is biased”, saying the organisation had investigated campaigners and events throughout the political spectrum, together with on each the Depart and Stay sides of the EU referendum.

In July 2018, the Fee fined Vote Depart, saying in the course of the referendum marketing campaign two years earlier, the group had exceeded its £7m spending restrict by funnelling £675,315 by means of pro-Brexit youth group BeLeave.

However Vote Depart – whose marketing campaign was fronted by Boris Johnson and Michael Gove – stated the accusations have been “wholly inaccurate” and politically motivated.

The Electoral Fee confirmed on the time that it had referred Mr Halsall and Mr Grimes to the police in relation to false declarations of marketing campaign spending.

It stated it had handed over information “in relation as to if any individuals have dedicated associated offences” that fall exterior the watchdog’s remit. Each males denied the claims.

Appeals

Mr Halsall and Mr Grimes launched appeals towards the fines, however Vote Depart launched a press release in March 2019, saying it was dropping its attraction, having run out of cash to pursue it.

Nevertheless, after launching a crowdfunding marketing campaign, Mr Grimes continued together with his attraction and his tremendous was overturned 4 months later.

The Fee insisted its investigation had been “thorough and truthful”.

A press release launched by the Met Police on Friday stated it obtained materials from the watchdog and had submitted a file to the CPS in October 2019, asking for early investigative recommendation.

It confirmed it obtained a response at first of March 2020, including: “This recommendation has now been duly thought of and no additional motion will likely be taken.”