An SNP MP has written to the Metropolitan Police calling on the force to investigate claims of election fraud by the Conservative Party.

The Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart wants police to probe allegations the Conservative election campaign spending rules laid down by the Representation of the People Act 1983 were breached. Wishart's call comes after a recent investigation into electoral spending by Channel 4.

Wishart said: "The national Conservative party must address their role in these serious allegations and be properly investigated to see if it systematically subverted the Representation of the People Act 1983.

"There is no doubt that the activists, accommodation, buses and other transport were co-ordinated by the party nationally and this was passed of as national expenditure, even though this activity was specifically targeted to support individual candidates.

"These are very serious allegations and the penalties for those guilty of election fraud could result in large fines and even imprisonment. There are also concerns that the 2015 election was fraudulently won with a co-ordinated breach of electoral legislation.

"I have therefore asked the Metropolitan Police to properly investigate the Conservative Party and if evidence is found prepare a submission to the Director of Public Prosecutions".

The allegations centre on the apparent failing to declare spending associated with the party's "battle bus" tour of constituencies with party activists.

The spending was classified as "party spending" to the Electoral Commission when it is alleged that it should have been filed as "candidate spending".

When the spending totals are added to the constituencies' candidate spending totals 24 areas would have overspent and broke the election limit.

The Conservatives' say the failure to declare hotel accommodation was an "administrative error".

A party spokesman said: "Conservative campaign headquarters (CCHQ) campaigned across the country for the return of a Conservative government. Such campaigning would be part of the national return, not local return, as the Electoral Commission has said. As is apparent from our national return, the party declared expenditure related to our CCHQ-organised battle bus.

"However, due to administrative error it omitted to declare the accommodation costs of those using the vehicles. This is something we have already brought to the attention of the Electoral Commission in order to amend the return.

"The party always took the view that our national battle bus, a highly-publicised campaign activity, was part of the national return - and we would have no reason not to declare it as such, given that the party was some millions below the national spending threshold. Other political parties ran similar vehicles which visited different parliamentary constituencies as part of their national campaigning."