Ryan Coogan, the Reform UK group leader on Huntingdonshire District Council, has been arrested on suspicion of making false statements in election nomination papers, in a case disclosed on 5 October, nearly a fortnight after the arrest took place.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary said in a statement: "A 42-year-old man from Waterbeach was arrested on 24 September on suspicion of making false statements in nomination papers. He has since been released on bail to return to Milton Police Station on 22 December."
The force did not name the man. He was identified as Coogan, the councillor for Ramsey ward, by BBC News and by Newsquest's Cambridgeshire titles, both of which obtained the police statement separately. Coogan has himself commented on the investigation. He has not been charged, and the substance of the alleged false statements has not been made public by the force.
The arrest marks a development in an inquiry first reported in May. Cambridgeshire Police said then: "We are investigating an allegation of false statements on a candidate nomination paper and the investigation is ongoing." The force confirmed at the time that the inquiry related to Coogan and to the district elections held on 7 May.
Coogan told the BBC he had "always been and will continue to be happy to help police with their inquiries", adding that he "cannot comment on this [investigation] as I have still not been informed what the actual detail of the alleged issue or crime or other supposedly is". The square brackets are the BBC's.
Speaking to BBC Radio Cambridgeshire in September, before the arrest was reported, he said: "It's hard to know what they're investigating… I asked the police what they're actually investigating and they wouldn't tell me, so I have no idea about that and I can only assume that at some point something will happen or something won't happen."
He told The Hunts Post he has "worked and will continue to work with the police as part of the investigation".
Huntingdonshire District Council declined to comment while the investigation continues. A spokesperson said: "As this is an ongoing police investigation, it would not be appropriate for the council to comment further at this stage." In May the council said it was "aware of a police referral in relation to the recent district council elections", without saying who had made the referral or when. The BBC said it had approached Reform UK for comment.
Coogan was elected for Ramsey on 7 May with 1,127 votes, topping the poll in the three-member ward, according to the council's published result. Reform UK took all three seats there, with Howard Julian Tobias on 1,110 and Karan Maheshwari on 1,027. No allegation attaches to either of the other two councillors.
The party won 10 of the 52 seats on the authority, its first on the council, behind the Liberal Democrats on 20 and the Conservatives on 15, leaving Huntingdonshire under no overall control. The council's records show Coogan listed as Reform group leader, and the BBC reported that he has been appointed to a number of council roles since the election, including the corporate governance committee.
Nominations for the May poll closed on 9 April, and the statement of persons nominated, signed by the returning officer and council chief executive Michelle Sacks, was published the following day.
Making a false statement in nomination papers is a corrupt practice under section 65A of the Representation of the People Act 1983. College of Policing guidance sets the maximum penalty on summary conviction at an unlimited fine and up to six months' imprisonment, rising to a fine and up to one year's imprisonment on indictment.
Coogan was Reform UK's candidate at the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough mayoral election in May 2025, finishing second with 49,647 votes, or 23.4 per cent, behind the Conservative Paul Bristow.
Join the Discussion
Have something to say? Join the conversation!
Sign in to share your thoughts and engage with other readers.
Sign In Create AccountNo comments yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this article!