Govind Tekale
Ryan Coogan, the leader of the Reform UK group on Huntingdonshire District Council in Cambridgeshire, has been arrested on suspicion of making a false statement in election nomination papers and released on bail. No finding of wrongdoing has been made, and Coogan retains his council seat and committee privileges while the investigation continues.
Cambridgeshire Police arrested Coogan, a 42-year-old man from Waterbeach, on September 24. He was questioned and released on bail, with a return date of December 22 at Milton Police Station. The investigation centres on an allegation of a false statement in election nomination papers under the Representation of the People Act 1983, which governs the integrity of candidate declaration processes for local government elections in England and Wales. The specific nature of the alleged false statement has not been publicly disclosed. The news has received wider coverage in the past 24 hours following reports by BBC Cambridgeshire, The Independent, and local Cambridgeshire titles.
Residents in Huntingdonshire will not see an immediate by-election despite the arrest of Reform UK council group leader Ryan Coogan over an allegation of nomination paper fraud. Under UK electoral law, sitting councillors retain their seats and committee privileges until formal conviction or resignation. With Coogan on police bail until December, local council votes face heightened scrutiny.
Making a false statement on a nomination paper is a criminal offence under Section 65A of the Representation of the People Act 1983. Under the Local Government Act 1972 and the same legislation, however, an arrest, investigation, or period on police bail does not disqualify a councillor from attending meetings, voting, or holding office. A council seat vacancy only arises upon criminal conviction carrying a custodial sentence of three months or more, including suspended sentences, for five years — a threshold that would require formal charge, trial, and sentencing before any by-election could be triggered.
That legal reality creates an unusual situation at Huntingdonshire District Council. Coogan continues as group leader and retains all voting and committee rights while the investigation is unresolved. Coogan is due to return to Milton Police Station on December 22; what action police or prosecutors take next remains unknown.
Can a UK councillor continue to serve while on police bail? Yes. Under current law, arrest and bail do not affect a sitting councillor’s status or rights. Only a conviction meeting specific sentencing thresholds triggers automatic disqualification.
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Reform UK electoral-reform and representation analysis · Huntingdonshire council — Ryan Coogan profile · Representation of the People Act 1983, section 65A
