Still wonder why Elcom decided to throw the book at UKIP?
They were going to accept the judge’s ruling until Farage decided to do this.
Taken from a UKIP press release and originally published on the UKIP website in 2007:
Tuesday, 7th August 2007
Tuesday, 7th August 2007
Plans by the Electoral Commission to forfeit over a third of a million pounds from a political party have been overruled today. The Commission had demanded that the UK Independence Party forfeit £367,697 claiming the donations were impermissible.
But a judge has ruled that the party need only pay about 5% of the total requested: a £4000 cheque from a company based in the Isle of Man and the last seven donations, totalling £14,481, from Mr Alan Bown, who was inadvertently not on the electoral register in 2005.
UKIP leader Nigel Farage said he was absolutely delighted at the ruling by the judge, but condemned the Electoral Commission and said that if they had been sensible, the case need never have seen the light of day in the first place.
"The Electoral Commission used this case as a way to make up for their complete failures over the cash for honours scandal and the £2.4m donations to the Liberal Democrats by a man now in prison" said Mr Farage.
"They decided to kick the smallest boy in the playground to justify their own existence, thinking that we would not be able to fight back. There was no element of proportionality in their decision which would have been disastrous to smaller parties had they had their way.
"We have always admitted that we made mistakes over these donations, but they were human error, rather than evasion.
"Other parties have full time treasurers and receive money from the tax payer towards running costs, but a small party like UKIP does not have these luxuries.
"If Mr Bown's company had given the money there would not have been a problem, and a good regulator would have seen this case and discussed it properly with us.
"Unfortunately, we do not have a good regulator, only the Electoral Commission who, instead of behaving sensibly, decided to throw all their toys out of the pram. If they had been less intransigent a lot of time and money would have been saved."
The party expresses particular thanks to the legal team of Alan Newman, QC. and Danny Dionissiou from Moreland solicitors, who were recruited by party secretary Michael Zuckerman.
End of statement.
Does anyone in UKIP still think Farage is an asset? His big mouth has so far cost the party over £700,000. And if Farage goes ahead with another appeal you can take that figure beyond £1 million.
Kick the idiot out now!
See: LINK
1 comment:
Hi,
EUkip and Farage's utterly incompetent and duplicitous team have brought this entirely upon their own head.
This has NOT been an accident - it has been a series of attrocious decisions, ban management, inept politics and attrocious legal advice.
It is complete stupidity that has brough this inept group into thisd position - do not be beguiled by the lazy journalsim of the BBC in thinking just because the name Bown & Brown are similar that there is ANY similarity between the crass series of childish choices of EUkip that has put them indebted to the tune of £3/4Million.
So many clear decisions were made to ensure this Guilty verdict that it almost looks deliberate - why should The Faragistas care if they can't find some 'mark' to foot the bill for their stupidity it is down to The NEC who are unprotected by Limited status as the offence pre dates the encorporation!
I had lengthy conversation regarding their status and the QC's opinion regarding the Lib.Dim. position over the £2.4Million - There is absolutely no similarity between this sum and EUkip's stupidity.
I shall get around to providing the facts on my blog in the next day or two.
Interestingly appart from the latest utter debacle EUkip has orchestrated since the law has changed I am advised that return of donations amounting to:
Lib.Dim.: £42K
Cons.: £36K
EUkip: £18K
BNP: £1K
Lab.: ?
Each party has 30 days to ascertain the veracity of the donor's legitimacy - a less simple matter when the donor is a corporation.
More of that on my blog - in the mean time EUkip have been corrupt, incompetent, stupid and politically inept and unprofessional and thus - unsurprisingly found Guilty and as Farage has clarified now find themselves liable for around £3/4Million which was completely self inflicted.
There is no plausible defence - unlike the Lib.Dims. who have co-operated at every step with both The Electoral Commission and the Police.
EUkip has NOT been picked on, they have taunted the authorities in a VERY unprofessional manner, have refused to act responsibly when encouraged to by The Electoral Commission, even when found Guilty by the courts have then proceded to insult and taunt both El.Com. and The Courts.
It would be hard to imagine better provenance of Nigel Farage's unsuitability as a leader, Andrew Smith's unprofessional behaviour as an treasurer, Ma Zucherman's competence as a solicitor, Ma Zucherman's integrity as a Party Secretary, Wittacker as Chairman who antogonised ElCom negotiators and the NEC for permitting such irresponsible behaviour.
It does look very much as clear and proven that EUkip are unfit for purpose.
Can you imagine such ineptness were EUkip responsible for managing Britain's economy - they haven't a clue!
Is it any wonder that in 16 years they have failed to put forward The Features Adbvantages & Benefits of leaving The EU, they have put forward NO vision of what they aim for, they have provided NO exit and survival startegy.
What have they done or achieved with over 70 MEP man years at a cost of somewhere around £100Million?
The anti UKIP Farage Fan Club have done a great deal to damage the credibility of EUroScepticism as the barbed wire circle of enslaving barbed wire yellow stars ratchets ever tighter on these United Kingdoms, salami slicing away our freedoms and our economy and destroying our fundamental human right of self determination.
More on my blog.
Regards,
Greg L-W.
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