Sleaze extends beyond "the big three" parties
BBC2's The Daily Politics (1) has published a survey of parties which currently have MEPs, asking each of them what their current policy is towards their MEP expenses and whether they would publish details.
UKIP refused to reveal their expenses and stated "Sorry but we are unable to provide you with a full breakdown of our MEPs expenses. It is not that we do not think they should be published but because quite frankly at present we have neither the time or resources to provide them in the timescale you asked for. When a small party starts fighting a major campaign then everybody is working flat out on that and becomes the only priority."
The Green Party did give details (2) on its expenses policy and confirmed that it had already been publishing some expenses details, with more to come as soon as the information can be collated, despite the Greens having less financial resources than UKIP and working flat out in an election period.
Dr. Rupert Read, Green Party Lead candidate for the European Elections in Eastern Region said
"Even though having enough money for a substantial nationwide billboard-advertising-campaign, UKIP purportedly lacks enough resources to publish its MEPs' expenses online... or is it possible that UKIP MEPs have something to hide? Past experience might suggest that they do. (3)
Notes:
(1) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8058100.stm#ukip
(2) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8058100.stm#green
(3) UKIP MEP Ashley Mote (South East Region) was jailed for benefit fraud and former UKIP MEP Tom Wise (Eastern Region) has been charged with fraud relating to his activities as an MEP.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article4815.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6951841.stm
BBC2's The Daily Politics (1) has published a survey of parties which currently have MEPs, asking each of them what their current policy is towards their MEP expenses and whether they would publish details.
UKIP refused to reveal their expenses and stated "Sorry but we are unable to provide you with a full breakdown of our MEPs expenses. It is not that we do not think they should be published but because quite frankly at present we have neither the time or resources to provide them in the timescale you asked for. When a small party starts fighting a major campaign then everybody is working flat out on that and becomes the only priority."
The Green Party did give details (2) on its expenses policy and confirmed that it had already been publishing some expenses details, with more to come as soon as the information can be collated, despite the Greens having less financial resources than UKIP and working flat out in an election period.
Dr. Rupert Read, Green Party Lead candidate for the European Elections in Eastern Region said
"Even though having enough money for a substantial nationwide billboard-advertising-campaign, UKIP purportedly lacks enough resources to publish its MEPs' expenses online... or is it possible that UKIP MEPs have something to hide? Past experience might suggest that they do. (3)
Notes:
(1) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8058100.stm#ukip
(2) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/the_daily_politics/8058100.stm#green
(3) UKIP MEP Ashley Mote (South East Region) was jailed for benefit fraud and former UKIP MEP Tom Wise (Eastern Region) has been charged with fraud relating to his activities as an MEP.
http://www.newsoftheworld.co.uk/news/article4815.ece
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/6951841.stm
Comments
So you don't have the time to publish all of your expenses at the moment then either, eh?
So why the attack on our statement?
Tim Worstall
UKIP press office