COLCHESTER’S MP Will Quince was quizzed in a police station under caution as part of an investigation which has now cleared him of failing to declare expenses.

The Tory revealed he was invited to an interview under caution amid claims that he didn’t include the costs of transporting the former Prime Minister David Cameron and activists from London, to help his 2015 General Election campaign.

Essex County Councillor Stephen Canning tweeted in the run up to the election: “Fancy joining #Team2015 in #Colchester for @willquince this Friday? Join the campaign bus from London!”

But the bus was never needed and activists instead travelled to Colchester by train on April 24.

In his election spending declaration, Mr Quince stated he spent nothing on transport.

A constituent, who Mr Quince believes to be a Lib Dem, complained to Essex Police asking the force to investigate him under the Representation of the People Act.

The maximum penalty for failing to declare election expenses is one year in jail or an unlimited fine.

Essex Police was granted an extension to investigate Mr Quince by the Electoral Commission last June.

But Mr Quince said he has been told by police no further action will be taken.

He described the allegation as “vexatious and politically motivated” and added: “Politics is not a game.

“I would ask those individuals to think about the cost of this investigation, the important work that those police officers could have instead been doing over this lengthy period, the stress that it put me, my family and my team under and the reputational damage to me personally.

“I am glad that this chapter is closed and I can now get on with my work representing the people of Colchester without this shadow hanging over me. “

Mr Quince said the allegation centred around him knowingly allowing the travel costs to be paid for and that he didn’t put the costs on his expenses.

He added: “Even if I had had to do that, my understanding is they had to buy their own tickets.

“But if I had claimed it, it would have still been under my expenses limit which was about £480.”

Mr Quince said it was “a joke” to suggest he’d ever try to do anything dishonest having been a solicitor before he won the Colchester seat in 2015.

He added: “Essex Police have said no criminal offences were identified but being interviewed under caution in a police station was a really horrible experience.

“And the laughable thing about all of this is my predecessor made a mistake and over spent.

“The irony is I underspent yet I am still reported.”

In 2012, the previous Colchester Lib Dem MP Sir Bob Russell was found to have broken parliamentary expenses rules.

He claimed more than £70,000 over seven years for an office owned by a company, in which he was a major shareholder.

Sir Bob was found to have acted in good faith, but was found to be in “clear breach” of the rules.

Mr Quince emphasised he “co-operated fully with Essex Police and attended the interview entirely voluntarily in order to clear my name.”

“I have nothing but praise for Essex Police. At all times, they were courteous, polite and professional as part of an investigation into what was on the face of it a very serious allegation.

“As soon as an allegation was made, Essex Police had a duty to thoroughly investigate and I completely understand that they had a job to do and respect that.

“I have no ill feeling whatsoever towards Essex Police.”