LONDON — Matthew Torbitt faces two counts of fraud by false representation relating to parliamentary travel and expense claims. The Metropolitan Police charged Torbitt by post on June 9. He is scheduled to appear at Thames magistrates court on July 27.

The charges concern claims made between August 2022 and October 2024 while Torbitt worked as an adviser in parliament. The Crown Prosecution Service stated that Torbitt is accused of obtaining free rail tickets between August 2022 and September 2024 through the parliamentary travel system. These alleged rail trips did not relate to parliamentary business, according to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Additionally, it is alleged that on October 2, 2024, Torbitt submitted a claim for reimbursement of travel and accommodation expenses that were not for parliamentary purposes. The charges stem from an investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police in April 2024. The investigation began after a report was received concerning alleged unauthorized purchases made through a travel booking system by a staff member working for a member of parliament.

Torbitt held advisory roles with various members of parliament between 2018 and 2024. He is 35 years old and originally from Stockport, Greater Manchester, currently residing in Didcot, Oxfordshire. Torbitt was made a senior fellow at the Centre for Social Justice and an ambassador for Alcohol Change UK last year.

Torbitt is a regular guest pundit on GB News and has appeared as a panellist on BBC's Newsnight, Sky News, and TalkTV. On his LinkedIn profile, Torbitt stated he was invited to shadow Andy Burnham at Westminster in 2014, an internship he said was arranged after he impressed Burnham while filming for a documentary. Burnham was serving as shadow health secretary and was the MP for Leigh, Greater Manchester, at that time. Burnham stood down as MP for Leigh in 2017 to run for election as the region's mayor, and later returned to Westminster after winning the Makerfield byelection. Torbitt supports Andy Burnham but does not hold an official role in Burnham's team.

Why It Matters

The charges against Matthew Torbitt relate to alleged misuse of parliamentary travel and expense systems over a two-year period while he served as an adviser to members of parliament. This event highlights the scrutiny applied to the financial conduct of individuals working within the parliamentary system. The alleged actions involve claims for rail tickets and other expenses outside of parliamentary business, suggesting potential impropriety in the use of public resources intended to support official duties.