Doctor Who row MP faces sleaze probe on electric car f irm link

THE Conservative MP who linked male crime to having a female Doctor Who has been reported to Parliament’s sleaze watchdog over his outside interests.

Nick Fletcher initiated a debate in Parliament about the ‘promotion of electric vehicle usage’ while working for a company that installs electric vehicle charging points, The Mail on Sunday can reveal.

During the debate, Mr Fletcher said: ‘We need multiple fast-charging units everywhere’ and urged Ministers to ‘move much more quickly’. He called for charging points ‘to be installed with the same frequency as petrol stations’. Mr Fletcher is a director of Analogue Electrics Ltd, a company he founded in 1994. Its website says it is seeking to expand the vehicle charging side of its business. The Don Valley MP owns more than 75 per cent of shares in the firm and receives a company car, phone and health insurance, to the value of £800 a month, which he declares in his register of interests.

Labour’s chair Anneliese Dodds has reported Mr Fletcher to Kathryn Stone, the Parliamentary standards commissioner, claiming he may be in breach of lobbying rules.

While Mr Fletcher pointed to his register of interests in his opening speech, Ms Dodds said the MPs’ code of conduct states that members cannot initiate proceedings in Parliament that might bring material benefit to any company they receive an outside reward from.

Her letter, seen by The Mail on Sunday, claims the April debate ‘appears to be a clear-cut breach’ of the code. Mr Fletcher last night denied he had broken any rules.

Last week, he said positive male role models in television and film were being replaced by women because of pressure from a ‘tiny, vocal minority’. He cited Doctor Who, Star Wars and The Equalizer, claimed this left boys looking up to the Krays and added: ‘Is there any wonder we are seeing so many young men committing crime?’

Ms Dodds said: ‘Nick Fletcher’s idea of being a good male role model appears to be acting like there is one rule for him and another rule for everyone else.’

Since becoming an MP in 2019, Mr Fletcher has appeared in videos for his company, introducing himself with: ‘Hello, I’m Nick and I’m the MD of AEL’ and ‘Hi, I’m Nick from AEL’, not mentioning that he is an MP. A brochure by the company also describes Mr Fletcher as managing director.

Last night, the MP’s spokesman said: ‘Nick has had no conversations with Ministers or Government officials about Analogue Electrics Ltd.’

Mr Fletcher said: ‘I have transparently declared my interests in the Register of Members’ Financial Interests and declared my interest in the debate. I would be happy to cooperate with the standards commissioner with any questions they may have on this matter.’