Liverpool elected mayor candidate Mike Whitby arrested
- Published
The BNP candidate standing for elected mayor of Liverpool has been arrested by Merseyside Police.
Mike Whitby has been detained following an allegation that nomination forms for the mayoral elections had been fraudulently filled in.
Mr Whitby is one of 12 candidates standing for election in Liverpool on Thursday.
A BNP spokesman said Mr Whitby denied the allegations and stood by the names on his nomination form.
Police said a 59-year-old man had been arrested and remained in police custody.
Det Supt Martin Andrew said: "Following an allegation that nomination forms for the mayoral elections had been fraudulently filled in, a police investigation was launched.
"Officers conducted extensive inquiries in the Wavertree area of Liverpool over the weekend and interviewed a significant number of people."
He said that after taking advice from the Crown Prosecution Service, Merseyside police went to an address in the Wrexham area to speak to the homeowner about the allegations.
He said officers arrested a man on suspicion of making false statements and faking signatures on nomination election papers - an offence under Section 65A of the Representation of the People Act.
"The man was taken to a police station in Wrexham where he was interviewed about the allegations. He currently remains in police custody," said Det Supt Andrew.
The complaint was made to Merseyside Police following an investigation by the Liverpool Echo.