POLICE are continuing to investigate whether the visit of a national Conservative ‘battlebus’ to marginal Rossendale and Darwen at the last election breached MP Jake Berry’s personal expenses limit.

A spokesman confirmed the probe was yet to be completed yesterday as the party was fined £70,000 by the Electoral Commission for breaking election expense rules.

The commission’s report highlights ‘numerous failures’ in three by-elections in 2014 and the 2015 General Election.

The investigation covered the national party rather than spending by individual candidates, which police forces have investigated after allegations the party bussed in activists for campaigns in marginal seats which helped the Tories win the 2015 poll.

Separate police investigations have been taking place into whether campaign spending in individual seats was registered as national when it should have counted towards each candidate’s spending limit.

A total of 12 police forces have asked the Crown Prosecution Service to consider charges which could cause by-elections.

Mr Berry, who has been the MP since 2010, was unavailable for comment but has previously said the visit of the ‘battlebus’ to his seat did not mean he breached his personal expenses limit.