A FORMER Ukip MP charged with election fraud will be tried outside the county - because the party is too popular in Essex, a court heard.

Dr Bob Spink, who served as MP for Castle Point for almost nine years until 2010, and James Parkin, 38, are charged with a combined 14 counts of fraud relating to signatures obtained for candidates in last May’s local council elections. Both men deny the allegations and a trial date had been set for November 13 at Basildon Crown Court.

But in an “extraordinary and unexpectedly sensitive” move by prosecutors, the court agreed an application to move the case to another jurisdiction.

Tom Nicholson, prosecuting, argued that jurors would need to be asked whether they had voted for Dr Spink, who was standing for police and crime commissioner at the same time as the local elections.

He said: “You would have a jury panel who either voted for him or voted against him or who had not participated in that election. It would be unattractive for us to ask the jury panel how they had participated.

“He came a close second in the wards closest to Basildon and Southend. He got a quite considerable percentage of the vote.”

Judge John Lodge pointed out that Dr Spink “got a considerable vote in what was a very poor turnout. Taking the Basildon figure, it was seven percent of the electorate.” Mr Nicholson replied: “We would suggest the real danger of bias.”

Piers Wauchope, representing Dr Spink, said the 68-year-old, of Downer Road, Benfleet, wanted to be “tried by his peers” in Essex.

He said: “There is an extraordinary and unexpected sensitivity on behalf of the Crown in wanting to move this case out of Essex. It appears that it’s because of the popularity of Dr Spink as set out by the election results.”

Mr Wauchope suggested moving the case to a new court could bias the trial against Dr Spink if the area had voted Remain. He added: “The defence position is anywhere but Snaresbrook.”

Judge Lodge allowed the application but a new court and trial date is yet to be agreed. He said the decision was based on the possibility of campaign material being used at the trial.

He said: “Although the turnout in the PCC election was 26 per cent, of that 26 per cent a substantial number voted for Dr Spink. A number didn’t but we know many people were engaged with the election. The safest course is for the case to be tried without a jury selected from Essex. I have said bluntly that this isn’t a political decision.”