Section 106 RPA 1983 makes it a criminal offence to publish a false statement about a candidate's personal character before or during an election with intent to affect the vote. It does not cover false statements about policies or public record.Source: Legislation.gov.uk

Who was convicted under Section 106 in 2026?

Andy Osborn, a Reform UK councillor on Cambridgeshire County Council, was convicted under Section 106 RPA 1983 at Westminster Magistrates' Court in April 2026, becoming the first Reform UK elected official to face a successful prosecution under the provision.Source: Lowdown

What happened to Phil Woolas under Section 106 in 2010?

In 2010, an election court found that Woolas's campaign leaflets contained false statements about his rival's personal character, voiding his victory in Oldham East and Saddleworth and barring him from holding office for three years.

Background

Section 106 of the Representation of the People Act 1983 makes it a criminal offence for any person, before or during an election, to publish a false statement of fact about a candidate's personal character or Conduct with intent to affect the vote. The offence does not cover statements about a candidate's political positions, public record, or policy — only personal character claims. Conviction can result in a fine and, in election court proceedings, in the voiding of the election result and disqualification from office.

The provision was rarely prosecuted for decades. The most significant modern precedent is the 2010 Phil Woolas case, in which the Labour MP for Oldham East and Saddleworth had his election result overturned and was barred from office for three years after an election court found his leaflets falsely claimed his Lib Dem rival had backed extremists. The Woolas case re-established that Section 106 remained an active legal instrument.

In April 2026, Section 106 produced a new conviction: Andy Osborn, a Reform UK councillor on Cambridgeshire County Council, was convicted at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 16 April — the first successful Section 106 prosecution of a Reform UK elected official. Osborn was fined £1,800 and must vacate his seat. Further cases involving Conservative candidate Nina Tempia and Samantha Hoy were proceeding at the same court ahead of 7 May, signalling an unusual cluster of legal activity under this provision in a single election cycle.