Barboo

The information you supply is welcome, Clive, but it's a pity it was not forthcoming earlier. In the absence of proper information there are bound to be rumours, and updates on the party website re the Sunday Times article would have reassured members and others that action is being taken. You now say, for instance, that a letter from Carter Ruck was sent "just as John Whittaker reported in the NEC minutes". Well, we are not privileged to see the NEC minutes, so we couldn't have known that. All JW's report on the website said was that NF said he had asked for a retraction which, as I pointed out, told us nothing. It's only what you describe as the more damaging posts here that have elicited - dragged out, even - some information, and it would have been so much better had it been supplied without the spur of unfounded rumour and forum members' 'ridiculous suggestions'.

While you're feeling communicative perhaps you would answer my question to Bellatrix, who posted recently that "Nigel Farage has always stated quite clearly that his son was not employed by the party or anyone in it". I asked her where NF had stated this, as in the four references I quoted there was no mention of his son not having been employed by the party, but she has failed to give a source for her statement. Did she make it up?

Has John Whittaker replied to the regional chairmen's e-mail re the ST article? What did he say?

Lastly, you write that Tom Wise had the whip withdrawn because he was under investigation by OLAF, and the party would have been criticised had they not done so. But isn't Nigel Farage also under investigation by OLAF? Has he had the whip withdrawn? It would seem grossly unfair to withdraw it from one but not the other. Can you clarify, please?