AN investigation has been launched into alleged electoral fraud in Gloucestershire, amid allegations a politician may have “effectively bought an election”.

Gloucestershire Police has confirmed a probe has been set-up relating to last year’s general election, but said they could not reveal any more while the case was active.

This comes after claims that up to 29 members of the Conservative Party broke election rules on spending during the general election in May last year.

Police have not confirmed if the two are linked.

It is alleged that the cost of busing in supporters to help fight their campaigns should have been met by the MPs, but was instead met by the party.

If the MPs had paid for this from their own election purse it would have put them over the spending threshold allowed under election rules, it is alleged.

The party has blamed an "administrative error" for failing to register some accommodation costs.

The investigation comes after a meeting between the Electoral Commission and crown prosecutors on Wednesday.

A police spokesman 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."

The allegations were first raised by Channel 4 and the Mirror.

Cotswold county councillor Paul Hodgkinson said: “I’ve been watching the story unfold over the last couple of weeks and it’s worrying because we all have to abide by the election rules and we have to make sure we stay within them.

"If any political party has stepped over that it is concerning… we need a level playing field.

“It would effectively be buying an election.

“Clearly we have to wait and see what happens.”

The Conservatives spent £15,587,956 on last year's election, some of which was spent on the 'Battlebus' which ferried supporters around Britain in a bid to win favour with voters.

A Conservative spokesperson has blamed an "administrative error for the alleged fraud.

"CCHQ [Conservative Campaign Headquarters] campaigned across the country for the return of a Conservative Government," he said.

"Such campaigning would be part of the national return, not local return, as the Electoral Commission has said.

"As is apparent from our national return, the party declared expenditure related to our CCHQ-organised Battlebus.  However, due to administrative error it omitted to declare the accommodation costs of those using the vehicles."

He added they were working to amend the mistake and had always viewed the bus as national expenditure, not something candidates should pay for.