The Conservative MP Craig Mackinlay has pleaded not guilty in court to charges of illegal election spending during the 2015 general election. A member of his staff and a Tory election organiser also denied charges related to election spending.



Mackinlay, who was re-elected with a 6,800 majority in South Thanet in June, is accused of two counts of making a false election expenses declaration under the Representation of the People Act 1983.



At Westminster magistrates court on Tuesday, the 50-year-old spoke only to confirm his name and enter his plea. He gave an address in Ramsgate, Kent.



Mackinlay’s election agent Nathan Gray, 28, of Hawkhurst, Kent, denied one count of making a false election expenses declaration.



Marion Little, 62, a senior CCHQ campaign director, of Ware, Hertfordshire, denied five charges, two related to aiding and abetting Mackinlay in making false declarations and three related to Gray.

The case comes after allegations of overspending by some Conservative candidates and their agents in the 2015 election.

The CPS announced that no criminal charges would be brought against more than 20 Conservative MPs over the party’s alleged failure to accurately declare “battlebus” expenditure in local areas during the campaign. At the time the CPS said it would continue to investigate Mackinlay.



The trio were charged six days before this year’s election, in which Mackinlay – who defected from Ukip to the Tories in 2005 – increased his majority from 2,812 to 6,387. In 2015 he beat the then Ukip leader, Nigel Farage, after a closely fought battle.



The three will be tried at a Southwark crown court on 1 August. The maximum sentence Mackinlay could face if convicted is one year in prison or a fine.