Simon Clarke: MP calls for mayoral election to be re-run after "false allegations"

Sir Simon Clarke, Conservative MP for Middlesbrough South and East Cleveland, has called for May’s election for Middlesbrough mayor to be re-run after the incumbent candidate, independent Andy Preston, had four charges relating to financial misconduct in office dropped this week.

Mr Preston was due to appear at Teesside Magistrates Court later this month to answer to charges relating to non-disclosure of financial interests during his time as mayor before they were dropped.

Yesterday he called for an inquiry into Cleveland Police and the Crown Prosecution Service’s handling of the case, which was dropped when Mr Preston’s legal team provided the CPS with new evidence.

He was defeated by 760 votes in May’s election by Labour’s Chris Cooke.

Writing on social media, Sir Simon argued the “false allegations” may have “swayed the 350-odd people who needed to vote differently not to vote for [Andy Preston]... I believe there is a strong prima facie case for re-running May’s election.”

The charges relating to Mr Preston’s declarations of interest - which were all subsequently dropped - were only revealed on August 7.

Sir Simon has said he is writing to “the Returning Officer and Secretary of State to set out my belief that a new contest free of vexatious political allegations ought to be held.”

Challenges to local elections have to be made within 21 days of the vote.

A judge may accept a challenge beyond the 21 day limit if the complaint is about election expenses, or if there is an allegation of corrupt or illegal activity such as bribery.

Sir Simon Clarke’s call to re-run the election came hours after Andy Preston wrote on social media - in a post ‘liked’ by Clarke - that he has been told a Labour councillor in Middlesbrough, Matt Storey, was responsible for making the allegations to police which led to charges against him by the CPS.

Mr Storey also works as Parliamentary Office Manager for Middlesbrough MP Andy McDonald.

In response to the call to re-run the election, Mr McDonald told The Yorkshire Post: “Simon needs to have a lie down. He’s well and truly in cloud cuckoo land.”