The author of Kane and Abel jailed for perjury, the MP for Lincoln executed for his role in the 16th century Lincolnshire Rising, and an ancestor of Meghan Markle beheaded for treason against Henry VIII – Lincolnshire has had its fair share of turbulent politicians across history.
From perjury to treason, overturned election fraud charges to creating a power monopoly in the House of Commons, here are the most notable run-ins Lincolnshire MPs have had with the law throughout the course of political history.Former Conservative politician and author Jeffrey Archer, was imprisoned for perjury.
While giving evidence in the Aquablast court trial in 1975, Archer denied accusations that he stole three suits from a department store, but in the late 1990s he would later acknowledge that he had taken them. The court heard how Archer had faked diary entries and asked someone to provide a fake alibi in the libel case, which translated to perjury and perverting the course of justice.The MP for Newark in Labour’s landslide 1997 election victory, Fiona Jones’ time in the political space was cut short by legal storms, and her life was seemingly cut short by the aftermath.
After losing her seat at the 2001 General Election, Jones studied law at the University of Lincoln and brought a civil case to Nottinghamshire Police for malicious prosecution. As the rising collapsed, Moigne, who was both the Recorder and MP for Lincoln at the time, was captured and brought to London.
Henry VIII appointed him as Lord Hussey of Sleaford in 1529, and even invited him to the christening of Queen Elizabeth I in 1533 – but three years later he was at the helm of an alleged conspiracy to dethrone the king.