A report in the Sunday Times today:
THE leader of the eurosceptic United Kingdom Independence party (UKIP) is employing his son as his assistant, using taxpayers’ money, despite the young man being in full-time education.
Nigel Farage’s 19-year-old son Sam is being paid to work for his MEP father through his European Union expenses allowance, despite being a politics student at Exeter University.
Farage’s use of public funds to pay his son is comparable to the case of the disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway, who employed both his sons using parliamentary expenses despite one being a full-time university student.
…
He is being investigated by Olaf, the EU’s antifraud watchdog.
It could be that this article is not true in each and every particular. Nigel Farage’s response:
Statement from Nigel Farage regarding sunday times article, 24th february.
On page 11 of today’s Sunday Times an article appears under the heading ‘Anti Brussels MEP pays son from EU funds’
1. There is not a single grain of truth in the statement that i am employing my son using EU allowances or in any other capacity.
2. A statement appears saying ‘he (N Farage) is being investigated by OLAF, the EU’s fraud watch dog. This is simply untrue.
3. The article says that a former UKIP regional organiser claimed we are misusing EU funds. It fails to say that this individual lost his case a couple of weeks ago against Mike Nattrass MEP on all counts.
This newspaper has asked ridiculous questions in the part, alleging that I am acting in an illegal manner financially. I am particularly annoyed that my son should be dragged into this and his photograph published without any evidence at all.
I dunno what anyopne has done to piss off Daniel Foggo in the past but he does seem to have form in these allegations against Farage and UKIP. Wonder where he’s getting his misinformation from?
12 responses so far ↓
1 Helen // Feb 24, 2008 at 11:18 am
Even if young Sam Farage were employed in, say, his holidays to work in the office it would not be a problem as long as he did the work. The Conway family, as I recall, produced no work and took large amounts of money.
Foggo does seem to be obsessed with UKIP but I have never understood why that is so. As you say, someone must have done something in the past. As to where he gets his “information” – plenty of people out there with a grudge or two.
2 Kit // Feb 24, 2008 at 1:22 pm
“Farage refused to comment on his employing his son, saying: “I am fed up with answering ridiculous questions.””
Whoops. He should ALWAYS comment and have prepared answers to give to journalists. By refusing to comments he has allowed Foggo to run an unbalanced story.
Years ago I sat and watch a press meeting with Tony Blair. Every journalist asked the same question, Tony Blair gave the exact same answer to each. It was like watching paint drying but Tony Blair bored the journalist into submission.
3 Seeking Truth // Feb 24, 2008 at 5:30 pm
1) Is his son employed as his assistant?
2) Are UKIP MEPs under investigation?
Tim adds: As far as I know/have been told.
1) No.
2) One was in the past and had the whip withdrawn when it was shown he had purchased a car out of staff allowances.
4 Ex Sunday Times reader // Feb 25, 2008 at 10:09 am
Foggo gets his info from a nasty piece of work called Greg Lance Watkins who does nothing but spread disinformation about UKIP. Norman Tebbit said he had it on good authority Lance Watkins was former MI5.
Of course, in politics you always get a lot of whingers who are sad they aren’t in charge and the party can run without them. Hence hte former party chairman Petrina Holdsworth being in regular contact with Lance Watkins and the like, Denis Brookes who just lost his case against Mike Nattrass MEP over an issue to which the Sunday Times is saying UKIP is guilty and, alas, former leaders and bitter staff members not happy at being asked to do their job.
5 Thom // Feb 25, 2008 at 12:51 pm
Wasn’t Iain Dale gloating about Nigel’s son becoming a member of the Conservative Party Society at his University? Not really going anywhere with this but just thought that there might be mixed messages in young Sam’s beliefs if he was happy to work for UKIP but not the tory’s.
Personally I’ve always thought of Farage as a man of integrity – it would be a shame to see him fall for something so petty (if true) and a mere drop in the big fraudulent ocean compared to some of the fixes the other MEP’s get up to (again, if true).
6 Len Baynes // Feb 26, 2008 at 10:49 am
It pleases me to see these stupid and misinformed allegations about UKIP. It proves to me that despite an almost total blank by the national media ie. press, radio (especially BBC.), and TV (again especially BBC), into the doings, manifesto, and growing strength of UKIP. we are attracting publicity. It is said as well you know it ,no press is bad press.
7 Andrew Smith // Feb 26, 2008 at 10:53 pm
Never seen this site before. hello Len.
There seems to be a presumption that Mr Foggo is working for MI5. I have no problem with the security services keeping an eye on ant political party; in fact I would be shocked if they did not monitor all of them.
However, if there is any suggestion that MI5 or any other organ of state is seeking to disrupt a legally constituted and democratic party such as UKIP, then the people involved, and their managers, are acting illegally and have put themselves in a very dangerous position.
The thought will not leave me, that there is only 1 political parties which would benefit from UKIP’s disadvantage – the LibLabCon. UKIP is the only opposition to the European project, so we should wonder whether:
1 are these stories and the story tellers working for the Conservative Party
2 are they working for the state = EU-labour
3 are they simply stupid
8 Kayley // Apr 1, 2008 at 3:15 pm
I can assure everyone, as a friend of Sam and the Farages that he was not employed, but on reading the report, but he thinks it’s a brilliant idea, unlike his father who believes the whole thing is a preposterous notion designed to slight his already fragile public ego.
9 Robert Feal-Martinez // May 18, 2008 at 8:16 am
This story rumbles on with still no proof. GLW is indeed the source he has told me so, for some reason he saw me as an ally and has been trying to convince me he has evidence, like UKIP NEC I have asked for the evidence, guess what, he hasn’t produced any. As for him being ex MI5, well I suppose any-thing’s possible, but highly unlikely, just a conspiracy theorist being used by disgruntled ex UKIP officials.
10 MR SCOTLAND // Apr 30, 2010 at 1:59 pm
Greg L W wanted me to write the truth about my daughter being abused so he could make a blogg on stolen kidds for my daughter…
after reading this and knowing the spin doctoring going on in the Hollie Greig blogg made by Greg I can tell you he aint getting JACK CHIT from me…
the man is beyound evil in my book
11 MR SCOTLAND // Apr 30, 2010 at 2:08 pm
ps if you want to know a small summery of my story google “youtube Paul Drockton Mr Scotland” god bless all the children and families effectted by these people as GOD HAS THEIR NUMBERS
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