Nigel And The Missing £60,000

[sp1814]

What do you make to this story?

I'm sure that Nigel will have an explanation for this, but £60K over four years for upkeep on a property that had been given to him for free...seems a bit steep.

Also, was there really any need for the Telegraph to use what must be the most unflattering picture they could find of Our Nige (his official name down our way)?

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/ukip/10766558/Farage-could-face-investigation-into-EU-expenses.html

[youngmafbog]

The EU is a different kettle of fish to Parliament. This is small fry compared to what some of the snouts are hoovering up.

I suspect this bloke has an axe to grind, probably looking to stand as an MEP or something, and is starting a smear campaign. He should be careful unless He can back up the claims with absolute truth or it will back fire spectacularly with otehr MEP's threatening him too !

//A former senior Ukip official has filed a formal complaint about Mr Farage to the EU anti-fraud office OLAF. The complainant wishes to remain anonymous because of “physical threats” allegedly made by other Ukip officials against members who raised questions about the party’s finances.//

[ToraToraTora]

Well, like all the others if there is any sort of fraud occurring he'll be prosecuted. But given that the EU is inherently corrupt I'd be surprised if they can dig this over without digging over far more significant and indeed embarrasing mis appropriations of EU funds. Just remind me when was the last time the EU found an accountant bent enough to validate the accounts?

[jim360]

At least it wasn't this picture ...


http://i3.mirror.co.uk/incoming/article2287802.ece/ALTERNATES/s615/Nigel-Farage-2287802.jpg

[youngmafbog]

You may all mock, but I suspect Mr Farage will be laughing is c**k off after the elections.

He is fast gathering support, not enough to win or even come second, but looks like certainly enough to give Dave and Ed a bruising - and wipe Clegg off the face of politics.

[sp1814]

jim360

Just to continue along those lines, BBC News South East also got itself into a twist, during a report on a 'jobs blow' to the region.

The graphics were not well thought out, so that...well, you've already worked it out, haven't you...

http://freeg131.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/bbc-blow-jobs-graphic.jpg

[sp1814]

youngmafbog

I don't doubt it at all. Personally, I would be very surprised if UKIP don't cause the biggest electoral upset in a generation (I'm not being sarcastic, even though readinf that it really does sound as if I am).

But back to the point in hand...what do you make to the story?

And with reference to what Mr Farage may be 'laughing off' after the election, I sincerely hope for Kirsten Mehr's sake, that you're wrong.

[youngmafbog]

What do I make of the story? Well as I said small fry in the EU and there are much bigger fish with snouts in deeper who will not want any investigation. I'm not sure what investigation they could have since no receipts are required for the EU such is the sorry state of the monster (the EU that is).

It's not 60k either though is it? 4* 12 = 48
//Utilities and other non-rental costs amount to no more than £3,000 a year, according to the former office manager, leaving about £12,000 a year unexplained.//

And I find it unlikely that all costs would be that low. The party has grown so cost will escalate exponentially initially.

[sp1814]

youngmafbog

You may have a point...it's not just utilities that you have to pay for in a property - but insurance, cleaning etc.

I am very curious as to the source of this story. I'm willing to bet that it didn't really come from a disgruntled UKIP member.

The whole thing smells quite fishy.

[Milvus]

Apparently each member of the European Parliament gets an allowance of around £3,500 per month. They can spend it in a myriad of ways and no receipts are required. So Farage is doing no wrong

[ChillDoubt]

Pretty p*ss-poor attempt at besmirching a political figure who has now become a political heavyweight in recent months.
Did anyone see Murnaghan trying to give him a hard time on Sky at lunchtime? Paxo he ain't!!
Farage was able to counter every spurious claim and basically wiped the floor with him.
The other parties really must try harder if they're going to try and outwit him and it's obvious from this latest 'story' that they're running scared of him.

[Gromit]

Just looked up the EUs rules and it looks like Farage is the victim of a Torygraph slur (they must be worried).

For a start, it is an allowance paid monthly and not claimed as expenses. He does not have to produce receipts or invoices for his costs as it is a set rate paid to all MEPs. The General Expenditure Allowance is €4,299 per month and includes money for office cost. Farage is easily within that.

// General expenditure allowance
This allowance is intended to cover expenditure in the Member State of election, such as Members’ office management costs, telephone and postal charges, and the purchase, operation and maintenance of computer and telematics equipment. The allowance is halved in the case of Members who, without due justification, do not attend half the number of plenary sittings in one parliamentary year (September to August).
The amount of this allowance in 2011 is EUR 4 299 per month. //

[Farriercm]

// Well like all the others,if there is any sort of fraud occurring he will be prosecuted// YES just like Maria Miller.

[sp1814]

ChillDoubt

Apparently this came from a disgruntled UKIP associate.

I say 'apparently', because we don't know who it is yet

[naomi24]

//A former senior Ukip official has filed a formal complaint about Mr Farage to the EU anti-fraud office OLAF. The complainant wishes to remain anonymous because of “physical threats” allegedly made by other Ukip officials against members who raised questions about the party’s finances.//

Mmm .... sounds like a smear campaign to me. He's scaring the pants off the established parties!

[sp1814]

naomi24

The 'fear of physical attack' bit *does* sound a little...'over-dramatic', doesn't it?

[Gromit]

// A former senior Ukip official // who does not know this is an allowance that ALL MEPs get and is not an expense that has to be claimed with receipts, sounds like a waste of space. No wonder Farage got rid of him.

[Gromit]

The General Expenditure allowance is worth £42,000 a year. Farage spent £15,000 a year for his Office running costs. Well within the rules, I expect most MEPs spent more.

[Kromovaracun]

I've often thought Nigel Farage seemed utterly corrupt and two-faced but this particular sum is fairly ambiguous.

The £2 million he happily took while railing against "snouts in the trough" types is, however, less so, and to me has always given an air of toxicity and mistrust that don't come from merely having different opinions.

I am also a bit perplexed as to why people who are normally extremely canny at seeing through spin and track-covering seem to be almost wilfully blind when it comes to Farage.

(and no, I'm not scared of him becsuse I do not believe he poses a threat to me. Neither do I think he's insignificant - UKIP has a real chance of becoming the UK's 3rd party in 2015)

[Svejk]

they'll be the second party if ed balls goes on 'world at one' again, spouting botox.