An unusual legal move over election expenses

The Tories are suing their former MP Mark Reckless:

The Rochester and Strood Constituency Conservative Association have lodged a claim against its former MP Mark Reckless to claw back thousands of pounds it spent on 2015 General Election campaigning literature before he defected to Ukip.

Members of the association say Mr Reckless and his agent, Cllr Chris Irvine, who are both now Ukip members, were approving expenditure for campaign literature for next year’s general election, up to two days before Mr Reckless defected to Ukip Saturday, September 27.

They say they had no alternative but to throw away the campaign leaflets.

He’s in turn launched a financial appeal to pay for legal expenses. Given that he’s a lawyer himself, it looks as if he sees rather more of a threat in this legal action than his publicly dismissive comments might indicate.