A politician has less incentive than most to get elected back to Parliament – as it would spark the resumption of an investigation into his alleged misuse of parliamentary stationery.

Simon Kirby is currently campaigning to retain his Brighton Kemptown parliamentary seat but is among six outgoing MPs whose parliamentary investigation is being put on hold since parliament dissolved on Monday.

Mr Kirby said the investigation was due to his use of a parliamentary envelope to update a constituent on a range of issues.

The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has said she is only likely to resume her investigation into the allegations should the 50-year-old win back his seat.

The Conservative politician is among six who will remain under investigation including former ministers Jack Straw and Sir Malcolm Rifkind who were both recently involved in a cash-for-access newspaper sting.

Fellow Conservatives Gavin Barwell and Andrew Percy and London Labour MP David Lammy have also had inquiries put on hold for alleged misuse of stationery or parliamentary email addresses.

MPs are restricted to spending £7,000 a year on stationery and postage-paid envelopes in addition to claims they can make within their £23,000 office costs expenses.

Mr Kirby told The Argus: “Over the past five years as the MP for Brighton Kemptown and Peacehaven I have taken keeping in touch with residents very seriously.

“It is an often heard criticism that you only see MPs at election time and I was determined to regularly update residents about the work I have been doing on their behalf.

“The matter the Commissioner contacted me about relates to the use of a parliamentary envelope to send a letter to update a constituent about a range of local issues, as opposed to a single issue.” Mr Kirby has also come under fire from his political opponents for accepting a donation from Ovingdean landowner Peter McDonnell who gave two gifts of £2,000 to his campaign in 2014 – the most he received from any donor.

His Green opponent Davy Jones has accused Mr Kirby of remaining silent on a residents’ campaign to protect land known as Badgers’ Walk off Ovingdean Road, Brighton, from further development while being vocal on similar campaigns.

Mr Jones believes that his Conservative opponent should hand the donation back.

Mr Kirby said he had made numerous representations to the city council on behalf of concerned residents.

He also noted there were currently no planning applications awaiting determination for the site.

He added: “I make it clear to anyone who donates to my campaign that the position I take on issues is a decision for me alone.”