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Update: 9 July 2014. The Metropolitan police has dropped its investigation into claims that Barking & Dagenham councillor Sam Tarry gave false information on his nomination papers. Investigations into similar allegations against two other Labour councillors were said to be continuing.

In a statement, a spokesman for the Met said: “Officers from the Specialist Crime and Operations Directorate are investigating an allegation of a possible offence under Sec 65A(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983, namely false statement in nomination papers in Barking and Dagenham.

“Enquiries in relation to one of the individuals concerned have now concluded with no further action being taken by police. Enquiries regarding a further two individuals remain ongoing.”

Sam Tarry, who was elected to Barking and Dagenham Council in May, said the allegation that he had given inaccurate details in his nomination papers was baseless and was part of a political smear. He said he had been continuously a resident in the borough since 2006.

Mr Tarry said: "These allegations were baseless and I am glad the police swiftly cleared me of any wrongdoing whatsoever. I am looking forward to continuing to serve the wonderful residents of Chadwell Heath and building on our local achievements.”

Original story published on 24/06/2014

An east London councillor is being investigated over allegations he lied about living near his constituents while actually residing 70 miles away in Brighton.

Sam Tarry, an ex-chair of National Young Labour, is facing allegations of electoral fraud after being accused of inaccuracies on papers to be re-elected as a councillor in Barking and Dagenham.

Neighbours said he had rented out his flat in Barking for around a year before the May local ballot, in which he won re-election.

Giving out false information on electoral nomination papers is a criminal offence punishable by up to six months in prison.

A source, who did not want to be named, claimed: "Tarry lives with his long-term girlfriend in Brighton. He has joined the landlord classes. These facts are widely known within the Labour Party."

Other parties say they were contacted the police after receiving allegations of electoral fraud after May's ballot.

Ukip London's local spokesman Lawrence Webb told the Standard: "We referred the matter of Cllr Tarry’s nomination forms to police along with questions about other candidates after consulting with the returning officer.”

After winning re-election in May Tarry told his 4,000 Twitter followers: “I love walking through my ward every day to the station and seeing the improvements Labour is making.”

He has repeatedly refused to respond to the Evening Standard’s requests for a comment.

Tarry, who was Labour's chief whip on Barking and Dagenham council before the May elections, is a political officer for the TSSA Trade Union and was chair of National Young Labour from 2009 to 2011.

He has written for the Guardian newspaper in support of Ed Miliband's Labour leadership campaign, and was first elected as a councillor in 2010.

Days after winning re-election in May, he went to Nice on the Cote D'Azur with his paediatrician girlfriend before going cycling near La Rochelle.

A Scotland Yard spokesman said: "Officers from the Specialist Crime and Operations Directorate are investigating an allegation relating to individuals of a possible offence under Sec 65A(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 namely false statement in nomination papers in Barking and Dagenham. Inquiries continue."

Neither the London Labour party nor Barking and Dagenham council responded to requests for a comment.