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UK MPs urge police probes into pro-Brexit campaign

In this file photo taken on April 15, 2016, people hold placards as they wait for the start of a rally for the "Vote Leave" campaign, the official 'Leave' campaign organization for the forthcoming EU referendum, in Manchester, northern England. (AFP photo)

Members of parliament in the United Kingdom have called on police in London to launch an investigation into alleged law-breaking by pro-Brexit campaign groups that advocated for the country to leave the European Union.

A letter signed by four MPs and published on Sunday called on Met police to launch thorough inquiries into claims by various organizations that pro-Brexit campaign groups committed serious violations of the law before the referendum in June 2016 in which Brits voted for their country to leave the EU.

The letter said such inquiries would have great “importance to the integrity and security of our electoral system and democracy more widely”.

It cited cases of law-breaking by Brexit campaign groups such as misreporting campaign spending, overspending and filing a spending return which included multiple inaccurate items.

The letter said organizations that have raised cases of wrongdoing by the Leave campaign, including the Electoral Commission, the Information Commissioner, the House of Commons digital, culture, media and sport committee and others, lacked enough power and authority for investigations and sanctions on wrongdoers.

Others said the Leave campaign had threatened the integrity of the British democracy by capitalizing on fake news in social media.

“They ran a campaign that was so bent they probably discussed whether they could pay for their dubious and disgusting Facebook ads with £9 notes,” said Former Labour Party cabinet minister Ben Bradshaw, who helped organize the letter. "It is essential that the police rigorously and fully investigate these allegations.”

More than two years after the referendum, those in favor of remaining in the EU still believe that the Leave was totally dishonest in its campaign. They say the British people will certainly vote against a Brexit if another referendum is held.

Calls for a second referendum have increased in light of Britain’s ongoing difficulties to negotiate a deal for leaving the EU. Over the past days, more government officials and business figures have warned about a no-deal Brexit in March next year when Britain is set to officially leave the EU.


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