By Brian Johnson - 28th February 2007
The UK Independence party has suspended one of its MEPs following allegations of financial sleaze.
The decision to suspend Tom Wise from the Eurosceptic UKIP party was taken after revelations that he was being investigated by Olaf.
The EU’s anti-fraud watchdog is said to be examining whether the East of England MEP has been siphoning off public funds - that should have been paying the salary of a researcher - into a personal account.
European parliament rules state that money paid by the EU towards MEP assistants’ wages must be paid directly or through a third party.
The UK’s Sunday Times claims that Wise pretended that his own bank account was that of his researcher Lindsay Jenkins, and that money from EU funds going into the account did not match that going out in wages to Jenkins.
A spokesman for the ind/Dem group in the European parliament, which UKIP is part of, said Wise had been suspended pending the outcome of the Olaf Inquiry.
“The inquiry will hopefully confirm the findings of UKIP and that of the parliament’s own investigations into the alleged misuse of Tom Wise’s secretarial allowances,” said the spokesman.
“Wise has done nothing wrong, and has nothing to be ashamed of. But these are potentially damaging allegations, and for the sake of the party, the decision has been taken to suspend him.”
Suspension means Wise will not be able to take part in UKIP meetings, but will still receive his MEP allowances.
UK MEPs from the mainstream political groups used the whiff of scandal to attack UKIP’s track record.
“UKIP have now sunk to a new low. They are in disarray as member after member falls to controversy and scandal. The question is how long before their next MEP leaves under another cloud of scandal,” said UK Labour MEP Leader Gary Titley.
UK Tory leader Timothy Kirkhope called the party a “busted flush”.
“UKIP is now no more than a joke. As the party boots out its own MEPs I hope the electorate boots out the whole lot in the 2009 elections,” said Kirkhope.
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