Cash-strapped party foresees being left with debts after EU elections
Every Ukip MEP will have to donate at least £50,000 to the cash-strapped party under a charter being drawn up ahead of May's European elections, the Observer can reveal.
The party wants its members of the European parliament to commit to paying the donation over their five-year term in Brussels. MEPs are paid around £80,000 a year and are eligible for annual allowances of around £320,000.
The financial demand is contained within a draft "MEP charter" drawn up by Ukip's national executive committee. It is being developed amid concerns at the top of Ukip that a £6m donation pledged by Paul Sykes, the former Tory donor, has not come through and that the party will be left with huge debts after the European elections.
Neil Hamilton, the former Conservative MP, told the Observer earlier this month: "So far we haven't seen the colour of his money."
The charter has prompted accusations by Labour that Ukip is inappropriately diverting EU funds to keep its electoral hopes alive. The shadow minister for Europe, Gareth Thomas MP, said: "After recent reports of the antics of Ukip MEPs, these further allegations about the misuse of EU taxpayers' money do raise serious questions about how Ukip is representing the UK in Brussels. Britain needs committed, hard-working MEPs who stand up for British interests in Europe; that doesn't seem to be what Ukip is offering at all."
Also contained within the charter, the Observer understands, is the demand that Ukip's MEPs should reveal to the national executive committee any details of any past financial or personal indiscretions which could bring embarrassment to Ukip. That move is being resisted by some members of the party who fear the damage that such a "black book of secrets" could reap if it fell into the wrong hands.
One party source told the Observer: "This is just asking for trouble. Imagine what whips could do with details like that or what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. It is unbelievably dangerous. Everyone's got secrets that are best left in the past."
Last week Ukip leader Nigel Farage, 49, was forced to deny claims that he had an affair with his spin doctor Annabelle Fuller, 32.
A Ukip spokesman said the MEPs' charter was being discussed by the party's national executive committee and was yet to be finalised. Until now Ukip MEPs weren't committed to a size of donation to the party's central coffers, but analysis of electoral commission records shows it has long relied on cash from its MEPs. Since 2004 they have donated more than £400,000 of their own money to the party.
Ukip has come under increasing scrutiny over its alleged misuse of EU expenses. Tom Wise, the party's former MEP for the East of England, was jailed for expenses fraud after paying himself £36,000. Two of the party's senior members have repaid more than £37,000 meant for office staff after diverting it to party workers who were based in the United Kingdom.
Last week the party was forced to deny it had misused European Union taxpayers' money after a Liberal Democrat MEP said he would seek an official investigation into claims it might have breached Brussels regulations.
Edward McMillan-Scott said that he would refer to the authorities claims made by a whistleblower about the alleged misuse of funds for party political work. The claims surround public cash that was received by Ukip as part of the rightwing Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) grouping in the European parliament. It is not supposed to be used to fund political parties at a national level but it was claimed that some members of Ukip's London staff were paid directly from EU funds in 2012 and 2013. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.
Every Ukip MEP will have to donate at least £50,000 to the cash-strapped party under a charter being drawn up ahead of May's European elections, the Observer can reveal.
The party wants its members of the European parliament to commit to paying the donation over their five-year term in Brussels. MEPs are paid around £80,000 a year and are eligible for annual allowances of around £320,000.
The financial demand is contained within a draft "MEP charter" drawn up by Ukip's national executive committee. It is being developed amid concerns at the top of Ukip that a £6m donation pledged by Paul Sykes, the former Tory donor, has not come through and that the party will be left with huge debts after the European elections.
Neil Hamilton, the former Conservative MP, told the Observer earlier this month: "So far we haven't seen the colour of his money."
The charter has prompted accusations by Labour that Ukip is inappropriately diverting EU funds to keep its electoral hopes alive. The shadow minister for Europe, Gareth Thomas MP, said: "After recent reports of the antics of Ukip MEPs, these further allegations about the misuse of EU taxpayers' money do raise serious questions about how Ukip is representing the UK in Brussels. Britain needs committed, hard-working MEPs who stand up for British interests in Europe; that doesn't seem to be what Ukip is offering at all."
Also contained within the charter, the Observer understands, is the demand that Ukip's MEPs should reveal to the national executive committee any details of any past financial or personal indiscretions which could bring embarrassment to Ukip. That move is being resisted by some members of the party who fear the damage that such a "black book of secrets" could reap if it fell into the wrong hands.
One party source told the Observer: "This is just asking for trouble. Imagine what whips could do with details like that or what would happen if it fell into the wrong hands. It is unbelievably dangerous. Everyone's got secrets that are best left in the past."
Last week Ukip leader Nigel Farage, 49, was forced to deny claims that he had an affair with his spin doctor Annabelle Fuller, 32.
A Ukip spokesman said the MEPs' charter was being discussed by the party's national executive committee and was yet to be finalised. Until now Ukip MEPs weren't committed to a size of donation to the party's central coffers, but analysis of electoral commission records shows it has long relied on cash from its MEPs. Since 2004 they have donated more than £400,000 of their own money to the party.
Ukip has come under increasing scrutiny over its alleged misuse of EU expenses. Tom Wise, the party's former MEP for the East of England, was jailed for expenses fraud after paying himself £36,000. Two of the party's senior members have repaid more than £37,000 meant for office staff after diverting it to party workers who were based in the United Kingdom.
Last week the party was forced to deny it had misused European Union taxpayers' money after a Liberal Democrat MEP said he would seek an official investigation into claims it might have breached Brussels regulations.
Edward McMillan-Scott said that he would refer to the authorities claims made by a whistleblower about the alleged misuse of funds for party political work. The claims surround public cash that was received by Ukip as part of the rightwing Europe of Freedom and Democracy (EFD) grouping in the European parliament. It is not supposed to be used to fund political parties at a national level but it was claimed that some members of Ukip's London staff were paid directly from EU funds in 2012 and 2013. Reported by guardian.co.uk 2 hours ago.