JESSE Norman says his “special offer” at Hereford’s  ASDA store was no sweetener.

Mr Norman faces heat over cakes on a campaign stand at the store that a complainant claimed breached electoral law.

West Mercia Police is to investigate the claim.

Mr Norman has dismissed the accusation as “local political argy-bargy.”

At face value, the complaint is based on an interpretation of the Representation of the People Act 1983 which bans election candidates from providing food, drink or entertainment to win votes.

The act defines “treating” as a “corrupt practice”  and specifies how guilt can be defined.

“It's all nonsense, of course.  We had a couple of small boxes of muffins and such like, and may have given out one or two to children, who are not even voters,” said Mr Norman.

A would-be UKIP MP  has faced a similar complaint over the giving out of sausage rolls at a party event.

Kim Rose, standing in Southampton Itchen was grilled by police to be told he faced no further action.

He subsequently slammed the “investigation” as “absolutely ridiculous”.

Treating – as defined by the Representation of the People Act 1983.

The Act regulates how political parties and people acting on their behalf are to behave before and during an election.

Treating is defined as a “corrupt practice” under the Act.

An individual is guilty of “treating” if they, corruptly,  by themselves, or by any other person, either before, during or after an election, directly or indirectly gives or provides, or pays wholly - or in part - the expense of giving or providing, any meat, drink, entertainment or provision to or for any person either:

- For the purpose of corruptly influencing that person or any other person to vote or refrain from voting.

- On account of that person or any other person having voted or refrained from voting, or being about to vote or refrain from voting.

Under the Act, every elector or their proxy who corruptly accepts or takes any such meat, drink, entertainment or provision is also guilty of treating.