UKIP probed by EU over funding allegations
The European Parliament has opened an investigation into the euroskeptic UK Independence Party (UKIP) following allegations that it misused hundreds of thousands of euros from the European Union for Brexit campaigning and to boost its election chances.
The European Parliament’s Electoral Commission alleged on Monday that UKIP used EU money to fund local polling and Brexit campaigning last year.
The commission said the funding was obtained by Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe (ADDE), a European political party dominated by the UKIP.
ADDE was ordered to pay back €172,655 ($184,000) and will not receive the remaining €248,345 of the EU grant allocated to the party for 2015.
ADDE said it will sue the decision in the EU’s top court.
Under EU rules, European parties and foundations are not allowed to use EU money to fund national parties or referendum campaigns.
The decision comes as UKIP is going through financial difficulties and an internal upheaval after its long-time leader Nigel Farage announced his resignation in the wake of the Brexit referendum.
On Monday, Diane James who was briefly leader-elect of UKIP, quit the party citing an “increasingly difficult” relationship with senior party officials.
On June 23, nearly 52 percent of Britons participating in an EU referendum voted to end the UK’s membership in the 28-member bloc, although most polls had predicted a defeat for the Leave campaign.
US President-elect Donald Trump said Monday that Farage, the UKIP’s interim leader, can do a “great” job as Britain’s ambassador in Washington.
During his campaign run, Trump found a close friend in Farage, a member of the European parliament and one of the major leaders of the campaign to withdraw the UK from the EU.
The British politician even traveled to America and joined Trump on the campaign trail, encouraging the then Republican presidential nominee’s supporters to learn from the Brexit vote and overcome all odds.
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