Should Tom Wise resign?

Anthony Butcher · 08-03-2007, 01:02 PM

Given the alleged admission by Tom Wise that he bought a car using EU expense funds and UKIP's statement that he failed to disclose an OLAF investigation to the party, should he now resign his MEP position?

mkpdavies · 08-03-2007, 01:04 PM

I want the facts laid out clearly before me before I make that choice. Both sides of the argument.

Anthony Butcher · 08-03-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mkpdavies

I want the facts laid out clearly before me before I make that choice. Both sides of the argument.

I am quite surprised that he hasn't issued a statement clarifying or denying the situation.

The majority of the other MEPs appear to have turned on him though, and that doesn't bode well.

This poll assumes that the facts in the papers are true (which of course they may not be). However, given that there hasn't been a swift denial issued, this looks increasingly likely.

mkpdavies · 08-03-2007, 01:15 PM

I don't know what to beleive anymore.

That's why I want both sides, clearly laid out. All I have had so far he he said, she said **** and hateful media reports.

Some things don't stack up for me, such as Knapman backing him if it is this obvious.

Denny said show us your evidence. That's what I would like to see too now.

Tony Bennett · 10-03-2007, 09:32 PM

This was the original 'Sunday Telegraph' report, some 17 months ago. So far as I am aware, Tom Wise has never given a rebuttal of the central charge against him that £30,000 went into his own bank account and that only £6,000 was paid to Lindsay Jenkins, apart from saying, as I recall, the he had repaid or was going to repay a sum to the European Parliament.

I am open to correction. I am wondering whether the OLAF enquiry (if there is one) is because Tom Wise did not repay all that he should have done to the European Parliament.

It is always open to Tom Wise and/or UKIP to make a fuller statement about these matters.

Maybe it is time for UKIP to adopt the policy of the Dutch Christian Reformed Party, which requires its MEPs to pay part of their salary to the party and their expenses are controlled by the Party, not the MEP. I believe that Ian Paisley had a similar arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party when he was their MEP:

================================================== ===========================

Anti-Europe MEP claimed £36,000 for his researcher, then paid her just one sixth

By Daniel Foggo

Last Updated: 11:59pm BST 22/10/2005

An MEP with the UK Independence Party, which condemns politicians for exploiting the "European Union gravy-train", is claiming £36,000 a year of public money for a researcher he is paying just £6,000.

An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has revealed that Tom Wise, who was elected to the European parliament last year, gave Lindsay Jenkins only a sixth of the amount he has told the EU that he is paying her as his assistant.

[Picture: Tom Wise, UKIP MEP]

The parliament has paid Mr Wise the full £36,000 in the belief that it is being passed on to Ms Jenkins, a freelance author and researcher.

When confronted, Mr Wise, who is one of UKIP's two MEPs for the eastern region of Britain, admitted that the extra money was in his bank account. He claimed that he had not intended to spend it and that he was keeping it for Ms Jenkins.

However, she had been unaware that, in claiming her salary as an expense, the MEP had told the European parliament that it was six times higher than it actually was.

Mr Wise's actions will be of interest to the holders of the European parliament's purse strings since their rules state that they will pay the salaries of MEPs' assistants only when the amount being claimed matches the sum paid out.

A spokesman for the EU said: "MEPs must submit the labour contracts as well as proof of social security, health and accident cover."

UKIP's 10 MEPs make much of the wastefulness of the EU, including the profligacy of MEPs expenses and how they are abused.

In press releases, Mr Wise, who is entitled to an annual salary of £59,095 plus a range of expensive perks, denounces the EU for being "a hideous waste of your money".

He said recently: "UKIP are the only party who think that the whole concept [of the EU] is built on a succession of lies. The proponents of the 'project' [the EU] will not tell you where it is going, if indeed they know. They will not tell you what it will cost as they have no idea. Yet you - and I - have to pay for it."

Mr Wise, a wine-loving 57-year-old ex-policeman, first became financially connected to Ms Jenkins last autumn when they agreed a deal in which she would be paid £500 a month to work as a statistical researcher for him.

He gave her European parliament forms to sign to make her an official assistant but they did not contain the specified amount of her salary. When he applied to the parliament's payments office to register her he told them he was paying her an annual salary of £36,000.

In the past year she has received the agreed £6,000 in the form of monthly £500 cheques personally signed by Mr Wise, plus several hundred pounds for some extra work done for him. Mr Wise, however, has received the full £36,000 of her supposed salary from the European parliament.

A father-of-two Mr Wise, who is from Linslade in Bedfordshire, said: "I have a contract between Lindsay Jenkins and the European parliament. I am not going to comment on the amount she has had." He later admitted that he was claiming £36,000 "in her name" from the payments office but that her actual payments added up to just £6,000 plus a small amount for extra work done.

When asked why there was a discrepancy between the amount he was claiming and the sum he had agreed to pay Ms Jenkins, he said: "I don't fancy answering."

He said that the £36,000 was for a full calendar year's work and then implied he might now pay her the remaining balance before the end of December.

A friend of 59-year-old Ms Jenkins said: "The agreement was always that she would be paid £500 a month as a retainer and for that she would work a certain number of hours.

"The sum of £36,000, or anything like it, was never mentioned to her. It was only by accident that she found out there was a lot of extra money being claimed in her name."

Ms Jenkins, who lives in London, declined to comment.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

michael mcgough · 21-03-2007, 06:36 PM

May I just say that this is the UK,not the Continent and folk are innocent until proven guilty.That he has been suspended,but not expelled by the party would seem appropriate .

View Poll Results: Should Tom Wise resign?
Yes	40	68.97%
No	9	15.52%
Not Sure	9	15.52%
Voters: 58. You may not vote on this poll

08-03-2007, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 9,824 Party: None	Should Tom Wise resign? Given the alleged admission by Tom Wise that he bought a car using EU expense funds and UKIP's statement that he failed to disclose an OLAF investigation to the party, should he now resign his MEP position?

08-03-2007, 01:04 PM	#2 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,604	I want the facts laid out clearly before me before I make that choice. Both sides of the argument. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

08-03-2007, 01:15 PM	#4 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,604	I don't know what to beleive anymore. That's why I want both sides, clearly laid out. All I have had so far he he said, she said **** and hateful media reports. Some things don't stack up for me, such as Knapman backing him if it is this obvious. Denny said show us your evidence. That's what I would like to see too now. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

10-03-2007, 09:32 PM	#5 (permalink)
Tony Bennett Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2006 Posts: 920	Un-Wise This was the original 'Sunday Telegraph' report, some 17 months ago. So far as I am aware, Tom Wise has never given a rebuttal of the central charge against him that £30,000 went into his own bank account and that only £6,000 was paid to Lindsay Jenkins, apart from saying, as I recall, the he had repaid or was going to repay a sum to the European Parliament. I am open to correction. I am wondering whether the OLAF enquiry (if there is one) is because Tom Wise did not repay all that he should have done to the European Parliament. It is always open to Tom Wise and/or UKIP to make a fuller statement about these matters. Maybe it is time for UKIP to adopt the policy of the Dutch Christian Reformed Party, which requires its MEPs to pay part of their salary to the party and their expenses are controlled by the Party, not the MEP. I believe that Ian Paisley had a similar arrangement with the Democratic Unionist Party when he was their MEP: ================================================== =========================== Anti-Europe MEP claimed £36,000 for his researcher, then paid her just one sixth By Daniel Foggo Last Updated: 11:59pm BST 22/10/2005 An MEP with the UK Independence Party, which condemns politicians for exploiting the "European Union gravy-train", is claiming £36,000 a year of public money for a researcher he is paying just £6,000. An investigation by The Sunday Telegraph has revealed that Tom Wise, who was elected to the European parliament last year, gave Lindsay Jenkins only a sixth of the amount he has told the EU that he is paying her as his assistant. [Picture: Tom Wise, UKIP MEP] The parliament has paid Mr Wise the full £36,000 in the belief that it is being passed on to Ms Jenkins, a freelance author and researcher. When confronted, Mr Wise, who is one of UKIP's two MEPs for the eastern region of Britain, admitted that the extra money was in his bank account. He claimed that he had not intended to spend it and that he was keeping it for Ms Jenkins. However, she had been unaware that, in claiming her salary as an expense, the MEP had told the European parliament that it was six times higher than it actually was. Mr Wise's actions will be of interest to the holders of the European parliament's purse strings since their rules state that they will pay the salaries of MEPs' assistants only when the amount being claimed matches the sum paid out. A spokesman for the EU said: "MEPs must submit the labour contracts as well as proof of social security, health and accident cover." UKIP's 10 MEPs make much of the wastefulness of the EU, including the profligacy of MEPs expenses and how they are abused. In press releases, Mr Wise, who is entitled to an annual salary of £59,095 plus a range of expensive perks, denounces the EU for being "a hideous waste of your money". He said recently: "UKIP are the only party who think that the whole concept [of the EU] is built on a succession of lies. The proponents of the 'project' [the EU] will not tell you where it is going, if indeed they know. They will not tell you what it will cost as they have no idea. Yet you - and I - have to pay for it." Mr Wise, a wine-loving 57-year-old ex-policeman, first became financially connected to Ms Jenkins last autumn when they agreed a deal in which she would be paid £500 a month to work as a statistical researcher for him. He gave her European parliament forms to sign to make her an official assistant but they did not contain the specified amount of her salary. When he applied to the parliament's payments office to register her he told them he was paying her an annual salary of £36,000. In the past year she has received the agreed £6,000 in the form of monthly £500 cheques personally signed by Mr Wise, plus several hundred pounds for some extra work done for him. Mr Wise, however, has received the full £36,000 of her supposed salary from the European parliament. A father-of-two Mr Wise, who is from Linslade in Bedfordshire, said: "I have a contract between Lindsay Jenkins and the European parliament. I am not going to comment on the amount she has had." He later admitted that he was claiming £36,000 "in her name" from the payments office but that her actual payments added up to just £6,000 plus a small amount for extra work done. When asked why there was a discrepancy between the amount he was claiming and the sum he had agreed to pay Ms Jenkins, he said: "I don't fancy answering." He said that the £36,000 was for a full calendar year's work and then implied he might now pay her the remaining balance before the end of December. A friend of 59-year-old Ms Jenkins said: "The agreement was always that she would be paid £500 a month as a retainer and for that she would work a certain number of hours. "The sum of £36,000, or anything like it, was never mentioned to her. It was only by accident that she found out there was a lot of extra money being claimed in her name." Ms Jenkins, who lives in London, declined to comment. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

21-03-2007, 06:36 PM	#6 (permalink)
michael mcgough Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Essex Posts: 707	May I just say that this is the UK,not the Continent and folk are innocent until proven guilty.That he has been suspended,but not expelled by the party would seem appropriate .

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