Ukip campaign chaos
As police probe MEP fraud claims, party loses two more candidates
UKIP’s election campaign last night descended into chaos as police began investigating an MEP over alleged fraudulent expenses.
Nigel Farage said the party’s Janice Atkinson, who was standing to become an MP, appeared to have been involved in ‘one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things’ he had ever seen.
Police yesterday launched an investigation into claims an aide working for the south-east england MEP had obtained a £3,150 invoice for a drinks party that cost £ 950 – in a bid to ‘repatriate’ extra money from the EU.
it came on a disastrous day for the party, as it lost two more of its General election candidates.
stephen Howd, who was standing in scunthorpe, was suspended over a separate ‘alleged incident at his workplace’.
Jonathan stanley, who was hoping to become Ukip MP for Westmorland and lonsdale, resigned as he said there was a need to get rid of ‘racist filth’ in the party.
Mr Farage yesterday admitted he fears Ukip is joining the ‘club’ of mainstream parties caught up in political scandal. He said he was so ‘deeply shocked’ about allegations over the event hosted by Mrs Atkinson at Ukip’s conference in Margate, Kent, that he woke her in the night to demand an explanation.
but he did not receive a ‘clear’ answer, he said. the party has suspended the Folkestone and Hythe candidate and will hold an inquiry on Monday.
After the event, Mrs Atkinson’s chief of staff, christine Hewitt, was filmed allegedly telling an undercover reporter: ‘ the idea is we overcharge them slightly because that’s the way of repatriating [the money].’
Mr Farage yesterday told lbc radio: ‘i was deeply shocked … it was one of the most incredibly stupid and dishonest things i’ve ever seen in my life.’
He added: ‘ We have suspended Janice Atkinson and we will hold a disciplinary hearing as soon as possible, which will be chaired independently by somebody from the legal profession, and there will be representatives of the national executive of Ukip there, and we will ask the questions and we will judge.’
Mr Farage said he had not yet got to the bottom of what had happened, saying: ‘i spoke to [Mrs Atkinson] after midnight last night. she was in bed. i said, “What on earth’s going on? What is this?”. she said there was a confusion, there was a mess-up. i didn’t get a clear answer.’
He added: ‘i actually wasn’t angry, i was just shocked. i simply couldn’t believe that we could find ourselves potentially in this position. that’s what the inquiry has to find out.’
Asked whether the case would damage Ukip’s reputation in the run-up to the May 7 election, Mr Farage stressed that other politicians – including conservative MP sir Malcolm rifkind and labour’s Jack straw – had also found themselves facing allegations.
‘in the space of the last month, two of the most senior politicians in the country have effectively been disbarred from standing as candidates – one from the conservative Party, one from the labour Party,’ said Mr Farage.
‘the fact that we potentially are joining their club is not a source of happiness for me.’
A Kent Police spokesman confirmed the Kent and essex serious crime directorate was investigating an allegation of fraud.
Ukip later said it had also suspended Mr Howd, another of its General election candidates, over a separate issue. the bar council said it had received a complaint about the 49- year- old oxfordeducated barrister, who works at chambers in leeds.
As Mr stanley announced his resignation as a candidate, he said there was ‘racist filth [in Ukip] in scotland’ that ‘needs cleaning up’.
‘Deeply shocked’