A police force has launched an investigation into an allegation of electoral fraud relating to the 2015 general election.
Gloucestershire Police has confirmed that it is looking into an allegation it has received.
The force would not be drawn on which constituency or constituencies the allegation may refer to or even which party.
The investigation comes amid claims that the Conservative Party may have breached election spending rules in the run up to polling day last year.
The party faces allegations that accommodation costs of activists bussed into key constituencies around the country should have been recorded under individual candidates’ limits, rather than as part of the national campaign.
The probe launched by Gloucestershire Police comes after the Electoral Commission met with police and prosecutors on Wednesday in a bid to ensure they do not run out of time to launch possible criminal investigations into Tory funding of the 2015 general election campaign.
The Commission believes its ongoing probe into alleged breaches of reporting obligations will take at least another month – taking it past the one-year time limit for launching criminal proceedings.
A Gloucestershire Police spokeswoman said: “We have received an allegation of electoral fraud and an investigation has been launched.
“We are considering an application for extension on time to investigate.
“This is in relation to the 2015 general election.”
Earlier on Thursday ministers were urged to address the allegations relating to the party’s election spending.
The SNP’s Perth and North Perthshire MP Pete Wishart raised the issue during the business statement in the House of Commons.
He said: “We need an urgent statement on what’s going on with the investigation of the Conservative Party for breaking campaign spending rules in last year’s general election.
“The claims are absolutely extraordinary and centre around Conservative candidates, 28 Conservative candidates, failing to register the use of a battle bus for local campaigning and something like £38,000 of accommodation for local campaigns.
“If anybody’s found guilty of such a charge it could result in one year imprisonment and an unlimited fine.
“Surely we must now hear what the Government’s view on this is and there must be no whiff or suggestion that this Government cheated its way to power.”
Commons Leader Chris Grayling said “it is for proper authorities to address issues whenever they arise”.
The claims relating to Conservative spending covering the general election and three parliamentary by-elections were first raised by the Daily Mirror and Channel 4 News.
The party has blamed an “administrative error” for failing to register some accommodation costs.
But David Cameron has insisted it was right to include such expenditure as part of the national campaign.
