[timesonline] UKIP in donation scandal.

[alexxxxx]

DESPITE having one of its former MEPs jailed for expenses fraud last year, the UK Independence party has benefited from the current distrust of the larger parties and is fielding its candidates in the general election on an anti-sleaze platform.

Yet its commitment to upholding political standards has now been revealed as less than perfect.

Stuart Agnew, a UKIP MEP, and Lord Pearson of Rannoch, the party’s leader, have told undercover reporters how a real donor's name could be kept secret by passing tens of thousands of pounds through intermediaries. If carried out, one or more of the suggested methods could have been illegal.


http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article7086827.ece

Well corruption seems to run deep in UKIP as well as Labour and Conservatives.

[Jordy]

Looks like they haven't broken any rules as they're taking advantage of loopholes but there's something seriously wrong if they're shouting about anonymous £80k donations which aren't reported. Foolishness to be honest.

[-:Undertaker:-]

Myself and Jordy saw this last night and I must admit, as soon as I saw this my alarm bells were ringing. If there had been any corruption (which when I first saw the article I thought so) then I would remove my support from them and would like anybody involved to be prosecuted and jailed if possible. However on closer inspection (me and Jordy also discussed it) its clear they have not violated any rules/regulations or broken any laws. UKIP themselves have also released a press statement to clear this up which I have quoted below and provided the link to.

http://www.ukip.org/content/latest-news/1524-statement-from-the-uk-independence-party


Following the article in The Sunday Times (dated April 4th 2010) the UK Independence Party would like to make the following statement to clarify any misunderstandings.

As with all political parties, UKIP receives many offers of donations (both financial and voluntary help) everyday, so it was not unwise for Stuart Agnew MEP to follow up the offer made to him. Perhaps, however, it was naive of Mr Agnew not to realise it was a Sunday Times reporter in disguise. We would like to make it clear that no transaction between Mr Agnew and The Sunday Times journalist took place

The UK Independence Party did receive donations via Global Britain, in 2009 for the European Election Campaign. All these donations were, at the time, perfectly legal and within the guidelines set down by the Electoral Commission. These donations were fully disclosed by UKIP in the second quarter of 2009

When asked by The Sunday Times reporter if her anonymity could be guaranteed, Lord Pearson, Leader of the UK Independence Party, clearly stated (as reported in the Sunday Times article) that he would check with the Electoral Commission and "if there was any doubt I would honestly rather go without.'"

Lord Pearson also added that he was regularly in touch with the Electoral Commission over Global Britain and all donations

Mark Wadsworth, UKIP Treasurer, said today: "All donations or loans to the UK Independence Party have been reported to the Electoral Commission."The bolded points being the important parts. If any corruption or fraud has taken place then I would be the first to remove my support from them. In conclusion from that; UKIP are not corrupt unlike the Labour Party, Conservative Party and the Liberal Democrats which you kindly missed out.

[alexxxxx]

i personally think although the loophole is allowed it should be closed and UKIP didn't act completely honestly. Perhaps if they showed they were more honest, clean party - cleaner than the usual suspects, they would earn more votes.

[-:Undertaker:-]

i personally think although the loophole is allowed it should be closed and UKIP didn't act completely honestly. Perhaps if they showed they were more honest, clean party - cleaner than the usual suspects, they would earn more votes.

Indeed and no matter what the effect it will look bad on them as all of politics has been ruined, the same with Farages expenses which are perfectly legit and used to run his regional office - it still looks terrible when mentioned. The issue concerning donor secrecry I dont agree with being changed as people may not like being linked to certain political parties as it can effect their status (especially regarding those in the civil service; teachers and the BNP for example) although if it were made rules then as Lord Pearson says, its not worth risking it [for existing rules as well] for the sake of a few thousand pounds in donations.

[Catzsy]

Indeed and no matter what the effect it will look bad on them as all of politics has been ruined, the same with Farages expenses which are perfectly legit and used to run his regional office - it still looks terrible when mentioned. The issue concerning donor secrecry I dont agree with being changed as people may not like being linked to certain political parties as it can effect their status (especially regarding those in the civil service; teachers and the BNP for example) although if it were made rules then as Lord Pearson says, its not worth risking it [for existing rules as well] for the sake of a few thousand pounds in donations.

I agree Lord Pearson has done exactly the right thing but this is no different to Gordon Brown saying that he is no way agree to the Labour Party members fiddling their expenses and agreed with their prosecution. Leaders cannot always be responsible for what their MPs MEPs do or say. I doubt if this will cause much of a stir.