Police rule out Conway investigation
Thursday, 20 March 2008 12:00 AM
The Metropolitan police have ruled out the prospect of a criminal investigation against disgraced Conservative MP Derek Conway.
A statement from the Met said it would be 'inappropriate' to launch a police probe.
Mr Conway, MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, was suspended from the Commons for ten days and forced to pay more than £13,000 after he overpaid his son to work as a parliamentary researcher.
The parliamentary commissioner and committee on standards and privileges said Freddie Conway had received a salary at the taxpayers' expense despite there being little evidence of his work for his father.
Mr Conway, who had the Tory whip withdrawn from him by leader David Cameron, has already said he will not seek re-election at the next general election.
Today's decision from the Met came after the parliamentary commissioner for standards and the crown prosecution service advised them against a criminal probe.
A statement explained the lack of systems to account for MPs' expenses would "severely undermine" the viability of a criminal investigation which led to a prosecution.
"In these circumstances we do not believe that it is appropriate for a police investigation to be instigated," the statement added.
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