Farage’s EU pay is docked £35,000
Brussels fine ex-Ukip chief over spending
NIGEL Farage has been fined £35,000 by the EU for allegedly mis-spending money.
Half of his MEP’s salary is being docked each month over claims his office assistant broke rules by not working on EU matters.
Former Ukip leader Farage, an MEP since 1999, insisted last night that Brussels chiefs were acting out of revenge because of his role in fighting for Brexit.
Denying any wrongdoing, he said: “It is guilty until proven innocent. They can do whatever they like. Since Brexit, they are being vindictive.”
Farage described the situation as “very difficult”, adding: “I absolutely reject what they say. But it is difficult to know what I can do about it.”
European Parliament investigators decided last year to suspend the contract of Farage’s then Brussels assistant Christopher Adams. He was also the national nominating officer for Ukip.
A European Parliament source said the EU began this month to recoup £35,000 in salary paid to Adams.
It is alleged Farage – who on Thursday appeared to suggest he was in favour of a second referendum over Brexit – has not proven his colleague was doing work directly related to the elected role of an MEP.
Docking Farage’s pre-tax salary means he would repay the cash by October.
Despite being entitled to the £90,000 a year MEP salary and living in a £4million house, Farage recently moaned about being “skint”. ●MARINE Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Front in France, is being probed by French magistrates after she refused to repay £260,000 of EU funds.