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Vote Leave: Activist to give MPs evidence of 'rule breaking' | Vote Leave: Activist to give MPs evidence of 'rule breaking' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
The Brexit activist who has accused the Vote Leave campaign of exceeding legal spending limits said his claims will be backed up by evidence presented to MPs. | The Brexit activist who has accused the Vote Leave campaign of exceeding legal spending limits said his claims will be backed up by evidence presented to MPs. |
Shahmir Sanni alleged that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend. | Shahmir Sanni alleged that the official Brexit campaign used a different group, BeLeave, to overspend. |
Both groups deny any wrongdoing and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a prominent Vote Leave campaigner, said the claims were "utterly ludicrous". | Both groups deny any wrongdoing and Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson, a prominent Vote Leave campaigner, said the claims were "utterly ludicrous". |
Labour's Tom Watson said that "if needs be" the police should investigate. | Labour's Tom Watson said that "if needs be" the police should investigate. |
Mr Sanni said his lawyers would be presenting "recommendations to MPs" at a news conference in London on Monday. | Mr Sanni said his lawyers would be presenting "recommendations to MPs" at a news conference in London on Monday. |
He told the BBC: "It's quite literally a matter of democracy and it's up to the people of this country to have a look at the evidence themselves and decide for themselves whether the allegations are false or true. | He told the BBC: "It's quite literally a matter of democracy and it's up to the people of this country to have a look at the evidence themselves and decide for themselves whether the allegations are false or true. |
"Lawyers are looking at the evidence and [have] said there is reasonable ground and so they are going to be presenting their recommendations to MPs." | "Lawyers are looking at the evidence and [have] said there is reasonable ground and so they are going to be presenting their recommendations to MPs." |
In interviews with Channel 4 News and the Observer, Mr Sanni - a volunteer for Vote Leave - said the official Brexit campaign donated £625,000 to a youth-oriented group, BeLeave, but required it to spend the money on a firm Vote Leave used for its digital advertising. | In interviews with Channel 4 News and the Observer, Mr Sanni - a volunteer for Vote Leave - said the official Brexit campaign donated £625,000 to a youth-oriented group, BeLeave, but required it to spend the money on a firm Vote Leave used for its digital advertising. |
Vote Leave would have gone over its campaign spending limit of £7m if it had spent the money. | Vote Leave would have gone over its campaign spending limit of £7m if it had spent the money. |
The Electoral Commission is already looking into whether Vote Leave spent more than it was entitled to during the campaign. | The Electoral Commission is already looking into whether Vote Leave spent more than it was entitled to during the campaign. |
Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings denied the claim and Brexit Secretary David Davis told the BBC it was the job of the commission, not ministers, to make a judgement. | Vote Leave chief Dominic Cummings denied the claim and Brexit Secretary David Davis told the BBC it was the job of the commission, not ministers, to make a judgement. |
Mr Sanni told the Observer £625,000 was given to the founder of BeLeave, Darren Grimes, who - he claims - was not in control of how the money was spent. | Mr Sanni told the Observer £625,000 was given to the founder of BeLeave, Darren Grimes, who - he claims - was not in control of how the money was spent. |
He said everything they did they passed through Vote Leave manager Stephen Parkinson, Mr Sanni's ex-boyfriend, who is now the prime minister's political secretary. | He said everything they did they passed through Vote Leave manager Stephen Parkinson, Mr Sanni's ex-boyfriend, who is now the prime minister's political secretary. |
Mr Sanni told the newspaper that most of the donation went to Canadian data firm Aggregate IQ, which has been linked to Cambridge Analytica - the firm facing claims it amassed the data of millions of people without their consent. | Mr Sanni told the newspaper that most of the donation went to Canadian data firm Aggregate IQ, which has been linked to Cambridge Analytica - the firm facing claims it amassed the data of millions of people without their consent. |
He said he - along with two other pro-Brexit friends - reported the overspending allegation to the Electoral Commission on Thursday. | He said he - along with two other pro-Brexit friends - reported the overspending allegation to the Electoral Commission on Thursday. |
"In effect they used BeLeave to overspend, and not just by a small amount… Almost two thirds of a million pounds makes all the difference and it wasn't legal," said Mr Sanni, who first worked as a Vote Leave outreach volunteer before working for BeLeave. | "In effect they used BeLeave to overspend, and not just by a small amount… Almost two thirds of a million pounds makes all the difference and it wasn't legal," said Mr Sanni, who first worked as a Vote Leave outreach volunteer before working for BeLeave. |
"They say that it wasn't coordinated, but it was. And so the idea that… the campaign was legitimate is false." | "They say that it wasn't coordinated, but it was. And so the idea that… the campaign was legitimate is false." |
Vote Leave has previously said it made the donation to Mr Grimes because it was coming up to its £7m spending limit and wanted a way of using the £9.2m it had raised from individuals and companies on campaigning activities - and that it had received permission to from the Electoral Commission to do this. | |
The campaign separately spent £2.7m on the services of AIQ in the run-up to the EU referendum. | The campaign separately spent £2.7m on the services of AIQ in the run-up to the EU referendum. |
BeLeave was set up to give young pro-Brexit campaigners a voice during the referendum. | BeLeave was set up to give young pro-Brexit campaigners a voice during the referendum. |
Separate campaign groups could spend up to £700,000 if they registered as permitted participants. | Separate campaign groups could spend up to £700,000 if they registered as permitted participants. |
In a blog on Friday, Mr Cummings denied allegations of links between his campaign and Cambridge Analytica and said the claims were "factually wrong, hopelessly confused, or nonsensical". | In a blog on Friday, Mr Cummings denied allegations of links between his campaign and Cambridge Analytica and said the claims were "factually wrong, hopelessly confused, or nonsensical". |
Lawyers for AIQ told Channel 4 News that it had "never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica" and it had "never knowingly been involved in any illegal activity". | Lawyers for AIQ told Channel 4 News that it had "never entered into a contract with Cambridge Analytica" and it had "never knowingly been involved in any illegal activity". |
'Misleading' | 'Misleading' |
In a "personal statement" issued to Channel 4 News, Stephen Parkinson denied the allegations and said he was confident he had stayed within the law and spending rules "at all times". | In a "personal statement" issued to Channel 4 News, Stephen Parkinson denied the allegations and said he was confident he had stayed within the law and spending rules "at all times". |
He said he was "saddened" by what he called "the factually incorrect and misleading" statements from Mr Sanni, who now works for the Taxpayers' Alliance. | He said he was "saddened" by what he called "the factually incorrect and misleading" statements from Mr Sanni, who now works for the Taxpayers' Alliance. |
Earlier, Mr Sanni said - in a statement issued through his lawyers - that Mr Parkinson had outed him as gay in his original response. | Earlier, Mr Sanni said - in a statement issued through his lawyers - that Mr Parkinson had outed him as gay in his original response. |
Mr Sanni, a British Pakistani, said he was forced to tell his family and that relatives in Pakistan could be in danger as a result. | Mr Sanni, a British Pakistani, said he was forced to tell his family and that relatives in Pakistan could be in danger as a result. |
In his original statement, published on Mr Cummings' blog on Friday, Mr Parkinson said he dated Mr Sanni for 18 months, before splitting up in September 2017. | In his original statement, published on Mr Cummings' blog on Friday, Mr Parkinson said he dated Mr Sanni for 18 months, before splitting up in September 2017. |
"That is the capacity in which I gave Shahmir advice and encouragement, and I can understand if the lines became blurred for him, but I am clear that I did not direct the activities of any separate campaign groups," he said. | "That is the capacity in which I gave Shahmir advice and encouragement, and I can understand if the lines became blurred for him, but I am clear that I did not direct the activities of any separate campaign groups," he said. |
Mr Grimes told Channel 4 News he denied the allegations. | Mr Grimes told Channel 4 News he denied the allegations. |
A solicitor for Vote Leave told the programme the campaign had been cleared twice on this issue by the Electoral Commission. | A solicitor for Vote Leave told the programme the campaign had been cleared twice on this issue by the Electoral Commission. |
The Electoral Commission said: "The commission has a number of investigations open in relation to campaigners at the EU referendum; it does not comment on live investigations." | The Electoral Commission said: "The commission has a number of investigations open in relation to campaigners at the EU referendum; it does not comment on live investigations." |
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