Candidate for the post of Police and Crime Commissioner in Lincolnshire, Mervyn Barrett, has pulled out of the race.
Earlier this week Mr Barrett’s entire campaign team resigned following an article in The Sunday Telegraph.
Mr Barrett was running as an Independent but The Sunday Telegraph alleged he was being “secretly backed” by companies pushing for police privatisation.
Earlier this week, in a statement on his website, Mr Barrett said: “I am not for sale, I never have been for sale and I never will be for sale.
“If anybody who donated to my campaign thought differently they are very sorely mistaken.
“It is disingenuous in the extreme to suggest that I am in some way anybody’s puppet.
“The policies contained within my manifesto were developed and agreed by me alone.
“They represent the results of my best thinking and my experience developed over three decades in the field of criminal justice.
“Notwithstanding the above however I do recognise how the allegations contained within the article have the potential to be misconstrued and that some as a result may consider that I or my campaign has done something wrong.
“I wish to make clear that both I and my campaign are in full compliance with UK electoral law and that we have made strenuous efforts to ensure that this has always been the case.”
The remaining candidates seeking election in Lincolnshire are Richard Davies (Conservative), Paul Gleeson (Labour), David Bowles (Independent) and Alan Hardwick (Independent).
The election will be held on November 15.