POLICE are investigating a ‘potential breach of electoral law’ by a Labour parliamentary candidate – but it has been labelled as ‘malicious’ and ‘nonsense’.

Officers are looking into whether Charlotte Nichols, who is standing for the party in Warrington North, gave her correct home address on the candidate nomination form.

It is an offence to supply false information to the electoral registration officer.

On the ‘statement of persons nominated’ for election on December 12, it states Ms Nichols’ home address is in Burtonwood – the address of deputy council leader Cllr Cathy Mitchell.

Cheshire Police has issued a statement on the matter.

A spokeswoman said: “Cheshire Police has received allegations of a potential breach of electoral law.

“Enquiries are ongoing, however, at this stage no one has been formally interviewed by officers.

“Officers are in contact with all candidates within the county as part of our responsibility in relation to a general election.”

Prior to the deadline to submit candidate nomination papers, Ms Nichols spent some of her time staying in Culcheth.

She has labelled the complaint as ‘nonsense’.

“It’s a malicious complaint, that’s wasting police time, and I’ve not been contacted by the police regarding it,” she said.

“I have moved to Warrington, am renting a room at Cathy’s and, as far as I am concerned, it is my home.

“Cathy is a barrister, so while the police are just doing their jobs by following it up if someone’s made a complaint, I’m absolutely satisfied there is no case to answer.

“I am living in Burtonwood and will be until I can buy a place following the election as I don’t think anyone would be expecting me to be trying to buy a home when my priority has got to be speaking to as many people as possible.

“I spent a few days staying with family friends when I first came here while all my stuff was getting brought up and everything sorted at Cathy’s for me to move in, but my home is at Cathy’s – which was all sorted by the time my papers went in and were signed off.

“I could have just given my address as ‘address in Warrington North’ legally, but I didn’t because I have absolutely nothing to hide and wanted my residency to be a matter of public record.”

Council leader Cllr Russ Bowden is Ms Nichols’ election agent.

In a tweet, he said: “Clearly it isn’t true. It is a malicious complaint & totally unfounded. The police have a duty to investigate & I am sure that they will.”

Warrington North has always been held by Labour and in the 2017 general election the party secured a majority of 9,582.

A Labour insider says the ‘malicious’ complaint aims to ‘undermine a fantastic candidate’.