Police probe claims Ukip leader Paul Nuttall broke electoral law by giving WRONG address for Stoke by-election

  • Nuttall accused of breaking electoral law by wrongly declaring his home address was in Stoke
  • He can't be disqualified between now and February 23 by-election but if elected his victory could be challenged and nulled in the courts 
  • Staffordshire police are investigating allegation of electoral fraud 
  • Ukip denies any wrongdoing, adding: 'We're very happy to talk to the police... we've got nothing to hide'

By Matt Dathan, Political Correspondent For Mailonline

Published: 12:00 EST, 2 February 2017 | Updated: 12:15 EST, 2 February 2017

Paul Nuttall, pictured, is accused of breaking electoral law by wrongly declaring his home address was in Stoke when he filled out the nomination papers for the by-election 

Police are investigating claims Ukip leader Paul Nuttall broke electoral law by giving the wrong address on his official nomination papers for the Stoke by-election.

Electoral law says candidates must fill out the nomination forms with their home address at the time of writing.  

But Mr Nuttall, who is hoping to record a famous scalp by beating Labour in the Stoke Central by-election later this month, gave an address in Stoke despite admitting he had yet to move in. 

The Ukip leader told Channel 4 News that he 'would be soon'. His home address was Bootle in Merseyside at the time he filled in the nomination papers. 

Mr Nuttall cannot be disqualified between now and the by-election on February 23 but if he wins and becomes Ukip's second MP, opposition parties could challenge the result in the courts, which could ultimately lead to his election being nulled. 

Staffordshire Police confirmed they are investigating an allegation of election fraud. 

A Ukip spokesperson denied any wrongdoing and said the party's 'got nothing to worry about'. 

They said Mr Nuttall had taken out a short-term rent in the property on Oxford Street in the Stoke Central constituency and said he was moving in today. If elected MP, he will move his home permanently to the address, the spokesperson added. 

'We're very happy to talk to the police... we've got nothing to hide,' the Ukip spokesperson said.  

A Ukip spokesperson said Paul Nuttall had taken out a short-term rent in the property on Oxford Street in the Stoke Central constituency, pictured, and said he was moving in today. If elected MP, he will move his home permanently to the address, the spokesperson added

Staffordshire police said: 'Our Response: 'We have received a report of an allegation of election fraud relating to the Stoke Central by-election on Thursday 23 February 2017. Officers will be investigating the circumstances.' 

A spokesperson for the Electoral Commission, the elections watchdog, said:'It is an offence under s65A of the Representation of the People act 1983 to knowingly provide false information on a nomination paper, and it is for the police to investigate this type of offence.' 

The Lib Dems mocked Mr Nuttall's apparent error, changing their website's 404 error page to a picture of the Stoke address with the caption: 'This page, just like Paul Nuttall's house in Stoke, is empty.' 

Labour's candidate for the Stoke by-election Gareth Snell, pictured faced a backlash last week after it emerged he branded Brexit a 'pile of sh**'

Mr Nuttall is hoping to become Ukip's second MP by beating Labour candidate Gareth Snell in the by-election, which was triggered by the resignation of former frontbencher Tristram Hunt.

Ukip are now favourites to win the seat, where seven in ten voters backed Brexit in last June's referendum.

Mr Snell faced a backlash last week after it emerged he branded Brexit a 'pile of sh**'.  

The local councillor Mr Snell showed his disdain for the outcome in a series of tweets, including one in September when he posted a poem reading: 'Soft Brexit, Hard Brexit, Massive pile of Sh**, Sloppy Brexit, Messy Brexit, Quit, Quit, Quit.'

During the referendum campaign, he also praised the way pro-EU politicians made their case and suggested he backed Turkey's bid to become a member. 

Mr Snell has since insisted he will not try to block the triggering of Article 50, but criticised Theresa May's approach.

The Tories have chosen another local councillor, 25-year-old Jack Brereton, to run in the same seat. 

The Lib Dems mocked Mr Nuttall's apparent error, changing their website's 404 error page to a picture of the Stoke address with the caption: 'This page, just like Paul Nuttall's house in Stoke, is empty'

 

 

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