-:Undertaker:-
12-03-2014, 08:51 PM
http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/nigel-farage-ukip-funding-is-only-an-issue-because-the-establishment-is-running-scared-9184503.html
Nigel Farage: Ukip funding is only an issue because the Establishment is running scared
Yet more laughable is the idea our HQ is staffed by weirdos who spend all day in the pub
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02623/farage-ukip_2623287b.jpg
It would appear that the debate about EU membership and open-door immigration has entered a new phase. Regardless of the “economic advisers” produced to show the “benefits” of mass immigration, nearly 80 per cent of the population think the figures are unacceptably high. This has not gone down well with the Establishment and, true to form, its newspaper of choice, The Times, has hit upon a new campaign to forget the arguments and play the man and not the ball.
During the past few days there have been a series of “exclusives” purporting to reveal the inner workings of Ukip. Nearly all of the quotations come from a former short-term employee and are based on hearsay. Much of what has been written is deeply inaccurate: even my place of birth and the dates I had children are wrong! In an attempt to portray me as a career politician, they even say that I stood unsuccessfully for the Tories six times, when I have never stood for them at all. It is not difficult in any walk of life to find people who will whisper against you and I suspect it is easier in politics than anywhere else.
One of the specific charges, however, printed on the front page, is that I am under investigation for misusing taxpayers’ money. And it is this allegation which angers me most: one of my first jobs in Ukip was to hire a professional who would ensure that we stuck within the rules. Of course, the original complainant misunderstands the facts. MEPs are given very generous allowances to conduct their work in Brussels and the UK. Ukip chooses to spend money to hire staff. I could stand accused of using the money against the EU but I am not uncomfortable with that; I’d rather that than taxpayers money go to the slush fund of pro-EU propaganda.
But let’s be clear: to say that I am “under investigation” presumably means that The Times has asked a Lib Dem MEP to make a complaint, which the European Parliament will have to follow up. During a Parliamentary Bureau meeting yesterday it was acknowledged that this is the second attempt to force an investigation on Ukip; the initial one was kicked out by Olaf, the European Commission’s anti-fraud office.
We have been very careful to demarcate between UK electoral activities and our work as MEPs. But the accusation that money has been used to help the party could be made against all our British counterparts. As the UK delegation of a parliamentary group, we are permitted to have staff back home working for those MEPs. What I suggest journalists look into instead is the money that is given to other UK entities by the EU taxpayer through their membership of pan-European political parties. They are permitted to spend that money on national elections.
Even more laughable is the idea that our London office is staffed by weirdos who spend all day in the pub, surrounded by animals. Well it is quite true that we don’t employ dull bores, preferring people with some personality, but I can assure everyone that we are building a professional team of people who are on call seven days a week.
On a personal level, The Times or anyone else can say what they like. In some ways, I wish the high-living larger-than-life characterisation of me was true. It would mean that I had more money and free time than I currently do!
Most reasonably minded people are sick to death of an established elite that has done our country so much damage. Ukip is a choice for us to change direction, and that is what the Establishment really fears.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26548661
Nigel Farage affair claim 'beneath contempt', says UKIP
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73524000/jpg/_73524527_de43-2.jpg
Nigel Farage listens to the comments from Nikki Sinclaire
The UK Independence Party has said claims that leader Nigel Farage had an affair with one of his assistants are "beneath contempt".
In the European Parliament, MEP Nikki Sinclaire said he was employing "former mistress" Annabelle Fuller and this was not a "fair use of taxpayers' money".
Ms Fuller responded that she had been a victim of "false allegations", over which the press had "hounded" her.
Ms Sinclaire left UKIP in 2010 in a row with the leadership.
She was expelled after refusing to be part of the multi-national Europe of Freedom and Democracy group it had joined in the European Parliament.
Ms Fuller worked for UKIP before leaving for a stint as a public relations consultant, and has now returned as a spokeswoman for the party.
Ms Sinclaire now represents the West Midlands in the European Parliament as part of the We Demand a Referendum Now party, which she set up.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73524000/jpg/_73524529_de43-1.jpg
Nikki Sinclaire left UKIP in 2010
She said during a plenary session of the European Parliament: "With unemployment still a problem across Europe and indeed across the UK, does Mr Farage think it is a fair use of taxpayers' money, namely his secretarial allowance, not only to employ his wife Kirsten but his former mistress Annabelle Fuller?
"Is this a responsible use of taxpayers' money, Mr Farage?"
Mr Farage responded by saying: "I don't want to answer that at all, thank you."
In a statement afterwards, Miss Fuller said: "I have been continually hounded by the press with these false allegations since 2006 including having journalists camp outside my house.
"It's a shame that as a woman I am considered fair game for accusations of alleged affairs. It's hard enough being a woman in politics without having to justify why I am employed.
"It is safe to say that this would not have happened if I was a man. Surely this is something that Nikki Sinclaire should have considered."
A UKIP spokesman said: "The comments by Sinclaire are beneath contempt, and that person has abused parliamentary privilege to do so."
He added: "Sinclaire has been saying the same thing to anyone who would listen since 2006. Regarding Miss Fuller, Mr Farage has been asked about this before and the answer has always been 'No, it is false.'"
All of this is hilarious. The non-story of the Ukip funding was dragged up by the Times on the whim of a disgruntled former employee - and it isn't even being investigated as there's seemingly nothing to investigate. As Farage points out, last time near enough the same allegation was thrown out by OLAF which investigates fraud in Brussels.
The second slur, concerning Farage's personal life - who cares? - is now being used by a former Ukip MEP who will only say it in the parliament building as she is protected from libel claims by parliamentary privilege. As it happens, Fuller and Farage's wife can be seen sitting often at the same table together during Ukip conferences...... yawn.
I've even seen in the pro-Tory Daily Mail, and so have others who have commented about it, how anti-Ukip articles are having the anti-Ukip comments (which were rated down by thousands of votes) are having their negative and positive ratings swapped around by the Daily Mail to make it appear as though the readership agree with the Mail's Ukip bashing story. Very low tricks.
I know who is behind most of this though: CCHQ. Farage really has got them rattled.
Thoughts?
Nigel Farage: Ukip funding is only an issue because the Establishment is running scared
Yet more laughable is the idea our HQ is staffed by weirdos who spend all day in the pub
http://i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02623/farage-ukip_2623287b.jpg
It would appear that the debate about EU membership and open-door immigration has entered a new phase. Regardless of the “economic advisers” produced to show the “benefits” of mass immigration, nearly 80 per cent of the population think the figures are unacceptably high. This has not gone down well with the Establishment and, true to form, its newspaper of choice, The Times, has hit upon a new campaign to forget the arguments and play the man and not the ball.
During the past few days there have been a series of “exclusives” purporting to reveal the inner workings of Ukip. Nearly all of the quotations come from a former short-term employee and are based on hearsay. Much of what has been written is deeply inaccurate: even my place of birth and the dates I had children are wrong! In an attempt to portray me as a career politician, they even say that I stood unsuccessfully for the Tories six times, when I have never stood for them at all. It is not difficult in any walk of life to find people who will whisper against you and I suspect it is easier in politics than anywhere else.
One of the specific charges, however, printed on the front page, is that I am under investigation for misusing taxpayers’ money. And it is this allegation which angers me most: one of my first jobs in Ukip was to hire a professional who would ensure that we stuck within the rules. Of course, the original complainant misunderstands the facts. MEPs are given very generous allowances to conduct their work in Brussels and the UK. Ukip chooses to spend money to hire staff. I could stand accused of using the money against the EU but I am not uncomfortable with that; I’d rather that than taxpayers money go to the slush fund of pro-EU propaganda.
But let’s be clear: to say that I am “under investigation” presumably means that The Times has asked a Lib Dem MEP to make a complaint, which the European Parliament will have to follow up. During a Parliamentary Bureau meeting yesterday it was acknowledged that this is the second attempt to force an investigation on Ukip; the initial one was kicked out by Olaf, the European Commission’s anti-fraud office.
We have been very careful to demarcate between UK electoral activities and our work as MEPs. But the accusation that money has been used to help the party could be made against all our British counterparts. As the UK delegation of a parliamentary group, we are permitted to have staff back home working for those MEPs. What I suggest journalists look into instead is the money that is given to other UK entities by the EU taxpayer through their membership of pan-European political parties. They are permitted to spend that money on national elections.
Even more laughable is the idea that our London office is staffed by weirdos who spend all day in the pub, surrounded by animals. Well it is quite true that we don’t employ dull bores, preferring people with some personality, but I can assure everyone that we are building a professional team of people who are on call seven days a week.
On a personal level, The Times or anyone else can say what they like. In some ways, I wish the high-living larger-than-life characterisation of me was true. It would mean that I had more money and free time than I currently do!
Most reasonably minded people are sick to death of an established elite that has done our country so much damage. Ukip is a choice for us to change direction, and that is what the Establishment really fears.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-26548661
Nigel Farage affair claim 'beneath contempt', says UKIP
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73524000/jpg/_73524527_de43-2.jpg
Nigel Farage listens to the comments from Nikki Sinclaire
The UK Independence Party has said claims that leader Nigel Farage had an affair with one of his assistants are "beneath contempt".
In the European Parliament, MEP Nikki Sinclaire said he was employing "former mistress" Annabelle Fuller and this was not a "fair use of taxpayers' money".
Ms Fuller responded that she had been a victim of "false allegations", over which the press had "hounded" her.
Ms Sinclaire left UKIP in 2010 in a row with the leadership.
She was expelled after refusing to be part of the multi-national Europe of Freedom and Democracy group it had joined in the European Parliament.
Ms Fuller worked for UKIP before leaving for a stint as a public relations consultant, and has now returned as a spokeswoman for the party.
Ms Sinclaire now represents the West Midlands in the European Parliament as part of the We Demand a Referendum Now party, which she set up.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/73524000/jpg/_73524529_de43-1.jpg
Nikki Sinclaire left UKIP in 2010
She said during a plenary session of the European Parliament: "With unemployment still a problem across Europe and indeed across the UK, does Mr Farage think it is a fair use of taxpayers' money, namely his secretarial allowance, not only to employ his wife Kirsten but his former mistress Annabelle Fuller?
"Is this a responsible use of taxpayers' money, Mr Farage?"
Mr Farage responded by saying: "I don't want to answer that at all, thank you."
In a statement afterwards, Miss Fuller said: "I have been continually hounded by the press with these false allegations since 2006 including having journalists camp outside my house.
"It's a shame that as a woman I am considered fair game for accusations of alleged affairs. It's hard enough being a woman in politics without having to justify why I am employed.
"It is safe to say that this would not have happened if I was a man. Surely this is something that Nikki Sinclaire should have considered."
A UKIP spokesman said: "The comments by Sinclaire are beneath contempt, and that person has abused parliamentary privilege to do so."
He added: "Sinclaire has been saying the same thing to anyone who would listen since 2006. Regarding Miss Fuller, Mr Farage has been asked about this before and the answer has always been 'No, it is false.'"
All of this is hilarious. The non-story of the Ukip funding was dragged up by the Times on the whim of a disgruntled former employee - and it isn't even being investigated as there's seemingly nothing to investigate. As Farage points out, last time near enough the same allegation was thrown out by OLAF which investigates fraud in Brussels.
The second slur, concerning Farage's personal life - who cares? - is now being used by a former Ukip MEP who will only say it in the parliament building as she is protected from libel claims by parliamentary privilege. As it happens, Fuller and Farage's wife can be seen sitting often at the same table together during Ukip conferences...... yawn.
I've even seen in the pro-Tory Daily Mail, and so have others who have commented about it, how anti-Ukip articles are having the anti-Ukip comments (which were rated down by thousands of votes) are having their negative and positive ratings swapped around by the Daily Mail to make it appear as though the readership agree with the Mail's Ukip bashing story. Very low tricks.
I know who is behind most of this though: CCHQ. Farage really has got them rattled.
Thoughts?