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Nigel Farage 'facing expenses complaint' over UKIP office costs Nigel Farage rejects EU allowances claims
(about 2 hours later)
UKIP leader Nigel Farage is facing a complaint about his use of EU expenses, it has been reported. UKIP leader Nigel Farage has rejected claims he might have abused EU expenses, describing them as a "politically motivated attack".
The Times said a former party official had raised questions about how Mr Farage used his "general expenditure allowance" and as a result had taken the matter to the EU's anti-fraud body. The Times said a former party official had filed a complaint to the EU's anti-fraud body over his use of the "general expenditure allowance".
The allowance is intended to cover the running of his constituency office. The UKIP leader rejected suggestions he had broken the rules on MEP allowances.
Mr Farage said the "outrageous, ridiculous and absurd" allegation was part of "a campaign... to nobble me". "I am taking legal advice. I think this is completely and utterly outrageous," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Office expenditure
The Times said Mr Farage received £15,500 a year to run his constituency office in Bognor Regis - but that the office had been provided rent-free by UKIP supporters.The Times said Mr Farage received £15,500 a year to run his constituency office in Bognor Regis - but that the office had been provided rent-free by UKIP supporters.
A former office manager claimed that the premises cost only about £3,000 a year to run. It says a former office manager claimed that the premises cost only about £3,000 a year to run.
'Unashamed'
The EU does not demand a detailed breakdown of office expenditure but Mr Farage insisted the running costs were about £1,000 a month.The EU does not demand a detailed breakdown of office expenditure but Mr Farage insisted the running costs were about £1,000 a month.
Mr Farage told the BBC the money was an allowance, not an expense, adding: "I can spend the money on whatever I choose to in support of my work as an MEP." The UKIP leader said MEPs were given recommendations about what the allowance can legitimately be spent on, such as the running of an office, mobile phone or hotel bills, but did not have to provide receipts.
He said the story was part of "a politically motivated campaign by the establishment" - through "the establishment voice piece", the Times - to try to derail UKIP ahead of next month's European elections. "We do not claim expenses for running an office or any other activity that takes place within the United Kingdom.
He would not rule out legal action against the newspaper, adding: "I will never speak to the Times again." "We get an allowance, a fixed-rate allowance, and we can spend it how we see fit," he told Today.
Unprecedented scrutiny He said he had been always been open and "unashamed" about using the allowances and expenses provided to him as and MEP to campaign for Britain's exit from the European Union but that he would "do so within the rules of the Parliament".
UKIP said the allegations "lack substance". He described the Times report as "yet another politically motivated attack from what is the establishment newspaper".
The party claimed that the office allowance was used in part to pay for additional premises, and accused the newspaper - which it called the mouthpiece of the political establishment - of embarking on a "fishing expedition". He said he would be happy for his accounts to be audited by an independent accountant "if that would solve the argument", adding: "UKIP don't want any of these allowances. We don't British MEPs costing the taxpayers all this money."
UKIP said in a statement: "Nigel Farage is confident that he has abided by European parliamentary rules at all times when spending allowances. Earlier UKIP issued a statement saying the allegations "lack substance" and said the office allowance was used in part to pay for additional premises.
"The Times has raised a number of 'fishing type' allegations, all of which lack substance as to their formulation and provide no substantive questions needing to be answered.
"In fact many of your questions are probably just as applicable to any of the other political parties contesting the forthcoming European elections with figures and statements duly amended to suit."
BBC political correspondent Iain Watson said that Mr Farage was coming under unprecedented scrutiny in the run-up to the European election, in which the UKIP leader has expressed hopes that his party will top the poll.