A former political advisor, Matthew Torbitt, has pleaded guilty to defrauding the Parliamentary expense system of over £6,000. Torbitt, 35, admitted to two counts of fraud by false representation at Thames Magistrates' Court on Monday, 27 July 2026. The charges relate to claims made for rail tickets not for Parliamentary purposes and a false claim for travel and accommodation expenses.
The court heard that the offences took place between August 2022 and September 2024, when Torbitt was employed by Christian Wakeford, the Labour Member of Parliament for Bury South. An additional false claim for travel and accommodation expenses was made on 2 October 2024. Prosecutor Maisha Mannan stated that an early estimate by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) puts the total amount defrauded at more than £6,000, although the precise sum is yet to be definitively calculated.
Torbitt, who has also worked as a political commentator appearing on various news programmes, held several advisory roles for Labour frontbenchers between 2018 and 2024. The investigation into his conduct began after the Metropolitan Police received a report alleging unauthorised purchases through a Parliamentary travel booking system by a member of staff working for an MP. He was formally charged by postal requisition on 9 June this year.
District Judge Navneet Sher has referred the case to Snaresbrook Crown Court for sentencing. The exact date for the sentencing hearing has not yet been fixed, though the judge indicated it is unlikely to occur within the next four weeks. Torbitt appeared in court dressed in a navy blue suit for the proceedings.
The revelation comes at a time when public scrutiny over parliamentary expenses remains high. Torbitt is engaged to women's rights activist and former reality television contestant Sharon Gaffka, and the couple recently welcomed a baby boy earlier this month, according to social media reports.