Several Conservative MPs under investigation have privately expressed anger that they received incorrect advice from Tory head office that has put them at risk of police prosecution. A third said Conservative party headquarters had been too slow to admit that decisions about allocating the cost of the battlebus were taken centrally. “They have imposed a fine on the Conservative party and the Conservative party will be meeting that fine, will be paying that fine. In fact there were some issues that the party itself raised with the Electoral Commission through their investigations,” May said. Speaking at event launching his Commission on State Fragility, Growth and Development in London, he said the work of the Electoral Commission was independent in the UK.

Source: The Guardian March 16, 2017 17:48 UTC