From the Chichester UKIP letter, currently doing the rounds:
Ashley Mote** MEP*
As most of you will know, Ashley, who has worked extremely hard for our
cause, is serving a nine-month prison sentence for housing benefit
fraud. Together with over 100,000 other businesses at that time,
Ashley's collapsed as a result of John Major taking us into the Exchange
Rate Mechanism (ERM) which led to him claiming housing benefit. A
prison sentence of one year or less does not automatically mean
expulsion from being an MP or an MEP and we hope Ashley will, in due
course, be able to continue his sterling work in Brussels and Strasburg.
Note, the newsletter does not condemn Ashley Mote for defrauding Chichester District Council, but seems to imply that a failed businessman is entitled to fraudulently claim benefits. It is of course true that benefits are there for all of us, but only to the extent that we are entitled. When my business collapsed I claimed housing benefit, but the moment I was no longer eligible I cancelled the benefit and even returned an uncashed cheque.
Chichester UKIP even 'hope' that Ashley Mote will continue to represent us!!!!!
The people who have attached their e-mails to this ludicrous statement are:
bernard.a.smith@gmail.com and
derekhunnikin@btinternet.com (who has asked for contributions to the newsletter)
It appears that convictions for 21 counts of dishonesty are no bar to being supported by Chichester Branch. How on earth can UKIP hope to retain credibility? Do we see Thanet Tories calling up Jonathan Aitken?