Cornwall's police and crime commissioner has finally spoken about allegations regarding potential electoral fraud after the Crown Prosecution Service decided this morning not to pursue the.

Ms Hernandez had been the election agent for Torbay MP Kevin Foster during the 2015 elections, and police had been investigating whether she had signed a false expenses return which did not include spending on the visit of a Tory 'battle bus' to the constituency.

Throughout the investigation Ms Hernandez has declined to comment on the allegations, but this morning the CPS announced it would not be bringing charges, and she released a statement to the press.

She said: "I am delighted that the Crown Prosecution Service has decided to take no further action against me following the police investigation into spending at the 2015 general election.

It is now two years on from these events and I am pleased that the shadow of the investigation has now been removed.

"My political opponents have regularly called for me to stand down over the past year but I have been determined not to let the investigation affect the way that I carry out my duties as police and crime commissioner.

"Over the past year I have set in train actions to create 100 additional police officers, a large increase in criminal investigation capacity, more armed response officers and a new remote record taking team to free up front line officers. At the same time, I have stopped closures of police stations and started to reconnect the public with the police.

"Being under police investigation is a very sobering experience. This investigation has been independent at every stage – the police work was undertaken by West Mercia Police with no involvement from Devon and Cornwall. The report was initially reviewed by the Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) and then by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS). I would like to thank all of the agencies involved in this matter for their professionalism.

"I would also like to thank my friends and family who have been a constant support over the past year and to my team in the OPCC which has supported me in being the police and crime commissioner over the last twelve months."

This morning Nick Vamos, CPS head of special crime, said the organisation had considered whether candidates and election agents had committed a crime by not declaring battle bus expenditure on local returns, while they were instead recorded as national expenditure by the party.

He said the CPS had concluded that requirements for prosecution "are not met" and "no criminal charges have been authorised."

He added: "In order to bring a charge, it must be proved that a suspect knew the return was inaccurate and acted dishonestly in signing the declaration. Although there is evidence to suggest the returns may have been inaccurate, there is insufficient evidence to prove to the criminal standard that any candidate or agent was dishonest.

"It is clear agents were told by Conservative Party headquarters that the costs were part of the national campaign and it would not be possible to prove any agent acted knowingly or dishonestly. Therefore we have concluded it is not in the public interest to charge anyone referred to us with this offence."

Camborne and Redruth MP George Eustice was also investigated in relation to battle bus spending, and is one of a slew of Conservative MPs who will not now be prosecuted.

He said in a statement: "These allegations were always unfounded and have wasted police time so I am glad that the matter is now resolved. After a thorough investigation the legal authorities have confirmed that Conservative candidates did nothing wrong."