Democracy Gone Astray

Democracy, being a human construct, needs to be thought of as directionality rather than an object. As such, to understand it requires not so much a description of existing structures and/or other related phenomena but a declaration of intentionality.
This blog aims at creating labeled lists of published infringements of such intentionality, of points in time where democracy strays from its intended directionality. In addition to outright infringements, this blog also collects important contemporary information and/or discussions that impact our socio-political landscape.

All the posts here were published in the electronic media – main-stream as well as fringe, and maintain links to the original texts.

[NOTE: Due to changes I haven't caught on time in the blogging software, all of the 'Original Article' links were nullified between September 11, 2012 and December 11, 2012. My apologies.]

Sunday, December 25, 2016

Nigel Farage Says He’s Been ‘Victimised’ As Leaked Report Suggests Ukip Misspent EU Cash

Nigel Farage has denied Ukip has broken any rules by using EU funding to fuel its eurosceptic campaigning in the UK, claiming his party is being “victimised”.

The Ukip leader dismissed reports that have emerged from a leaked dossier suggesting the party misspent nearly £400,000 to fund its own electioneering.

A leaked audit compiled by the European Parliament Bureau suggests Ukip broke spending rules by diverting taxpayers’ money to its own polling ahead of the EU referendum and in key target constituencies for last year’s general election.

But Farage, speaking to Sky News, dismissed the claim:

“We’ve been expecting this for years. We are in an environment where rules are wilfully interpreted as suits.
“I’ve understood absolutely the rules. This is pure victimisation. I am the most investigated MEP in history. Look at what the pro-EU groups were spending.”

The audit was obtained by Sky News, and focusses on money provided to the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE) - a group dominated by Farage’s party that was created by the Ukip leader two years ago.

EU funding is meant to be spent on a party’s activities at a European level, but the audit suggests ADDE financed polling in the UK between February and December last year judged as “indirect financing of a national political party” and “a referendum campaign” – both of which are prohibited by European Parliament rules.

The money, according to the audit, was used to fund polling in Great Grimsby and Thurrock, Rochester and Strood and Cardiff South and Penarth - and Thanet South, where Farage unsuccessfully ran to become an MP.

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock told Sky News it was a “disgrace” and accused UKIP of “defrauding the system” and “defrauding the British taxpayer”. He said:

“The irony of this cannot be lost on anybody.”

Original Article
Source: huffingtonpost.co.uk/
Author: Graeme Demianyk

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