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UKIP suspends MEP Janice Atkinson over expenses claim | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A UKIP MEP and general election candidate has been suspended "following allegations of a serious financial nature", the party says. | |
Janice Atkinson, MEP for the South East, was due to fight the Folkestone and Hythe seat on 7 May. | Janice Atkinson, MEP for the South East, was due to fight the Folkestone and Hythe seat on 7 May. |
She was suspended following a Sun newspaper investigation into potential impropriety by a member of her staff, relating to an expenses claim. | She was suspended following a Sun newspaper investigation into potential impropriety by a member of her staff, relating to an expenses claim. |
Ms Atkinson has not responded to BBC requests for comment. | |
Party leader Nigel Farage told the BBC there would be an "immediate investigation as to what the truth of this is". | Party leader Nigel Farage told the BBC there would be an "immediate investigation as to what the truth of this is". |
"All I will say is, we have got the spotlight very much on us as UKIP," he said. | |
"We've got to behave absolutely properly and if we see anything we think is wrong, we will come down on it like a tonne of bricks." | |
'Incredibly disappointed' | 'Incredibly disappointed' |
The newspaper has published a secret recording appearing to show Janice Atkinson's chief of staff, Christine Hewitt, speaking to the manager of a restaurant in Margate, Kent, before UKIP's spring conference. | |
In the footage, she appears to ask for an invoice for a much higher sum than the bill she had originally received. | |
Ms Hewitt is heard to say: "The idea is we overcharge them slightly, because that's the way we repatriate it." | |
A member of the hotel staff replies: "3150, is that alright? Yeah, if you're alright with that? Is that enough for you?" | |
Ms Hewitt then says: "Oh God yeah, that's more than enough." | |
It is not known whether Ms Atkinson knew or authorised her staff member's apparent actions. | |
The BBC has been unable to contact Ms Hewitt for comment. | |
A UKIP spokesman said the party was "incredibly disappointed" with Ms Atkinson, who appeared to have "exercised extremely poor judgement" and to "have acted in a way the party has never and would never condone". | |
UKIP controversies | |
Kent Police said it had not received any reports relating to the newspaper's allegations. | Kent Police said it had not received any reports relating to the newspaper's allegations. |
Last summer, Ms Atkinson caused controversy in Kent when she referred to a Thai constituent as a "ting tong". | Last summer, Ms Atkinson caused controversy in Kent when she referred to a Thai constituent as a "ting tong". |
The BBC's political correspondent, Chris Mason, said Ms Atkinson was not the first UKIP MEP to give the party a headache. | |
Two former UKIP MEPs have served jail terms and three have defected to the Conservatives in the last four years. | |
Earlier this week, members of the Scottish Parliament unanimously condemned remarks made by UKIP MEP David Coburn, after he compared a Scottish government minister, Humza Yousaf, to Abu Hamza. | |
Abu Hamza is serving life in the US for terrorism offences. | |
The suspension of Ms Atkinson leaves UKIP with headlines it could do without, our correspondent added. | |
'Dirty, nasty election' | 'Dirty, nasty election' |
Folkestone and Hythe is seen as a safe Conservative seat. | Folkestone and Hythe is seen as a safe Conservative seat. |
It was represented by former Home Secretary and ex-Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, from 1983 to 2010, when he stood down as an MP ahead of the last general election. | It was represented by former Home Secretary and ex-Conservative Party leader Michael Howard, from 1983 to 2010, when he stood down as an MP ahead of the last general election. |
Fellow Conservative Damian Collins won the seat in 2010. | Fellow Conservative Damian Collins won the seat in 2010. |
Ms Atkinson's suspension came shortly after Mr Farage had warned 2015 would be a "very dirty, nasty" general election campaign and urged his party to "turn the other cheek". | Ms Atkinson's suspension came shortly after Mr Farage had warned 2015 would be a "very dirty, nasty" general election campaign and urged his party to "turn the other cheek". |
He had been speaking in Rochester where he welcomed two former Conservative Medway councillors, Tom Mason and Vaughan Hewett, who are standing for UKIP in the local elections in May. |