MEP alleged expenses fraud

Anthony Butcher · 23-10-2005, 03:10 AM

Quote:

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.

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.

Anthony Butcher · 23-10-2005, 03:29 AM

If this is true, I am not sure that Tom can realistically expect to keep his position. However, it is in the papers and no doubt there is another side to the story that hasn't been revealed.

mkpdavies · 23-10-2005, 08:52 AM

Magic.

:x

Silence isn't good enough on this one. Either UKIP release a full statement refuting the allegations, or if it is true then I expect him to be expelled from the party in disgrace.

Sheila · 23-10-2005, 09:28 AM

.
I am a bit puzzled by this story, as it has always been my understanding that although the MEP decides how many staff he or she wants to employ, and what they should be paid, the payments are then made to the staff direct, and not to the MEP.
.

Anthony Butcher · 23-10-2005, 10:27 AM

This is a very long article, and seems to repeat itself. It is as if the author had an assigned number of words to fill, and had to stretch it out.

Buffin · 23-10-2005, 10:31 AM

From Richard North's EU referendum blog -

"To lose one may be regarded as a misfortune," said Lady Bracknell. "To lose two would look like carelessness."

That much could already be said of the UK Independence Party which, from the heady days of the Euro-elections last year, swept up twelve seats, only to lose Ashley Mote when it was learned that he had failed to declare an impending court case for benefit fraud, and then the egregious Kilroy-Silk following a very public fall-out.

But now, if the story in today's Sunday Telegraph is any guide, the Party is well on its way to losing a third.

This particular MEP is one of the least-known of the ten remaining, a certain Tom Wise (above). He appears to have been contradicting his own surname, having claimed £36,000 from the EU parliament to pay his researcher, Lindsay Jenkins, and then pocketing all but the £6,000 that he actually paid her. When confronted by the Telegraph, he admitted that the extra money was in his bank account, claiming that he had not intended to spend it and was keeping it for his researcher.

However, Jenkins, herself had been unaware that, in claiming her £6000, paid as a monthly retainer of £500, Wise had told the EU parliament that it was six times higher than it actually was. When asked why there was a discrepancy between the amount he was claiming and the sum he had agreed to pay Jenkins, Wise told the Telegraph, "I don't fancy answering."

Wise is a former assistant to Geoffrey Titford and number two in the Eastern Region behind him. Titford recently took over the chairmanship of the Party after the resignation of Petrina Holdsworth. It now looks as if Holdsworth's resignation was not entirely unrelated to today's disclosure as it also appears that Wise's "indiscretion" was known to senior members of the Party who appeared unwilling to act.

Sources indicate that Holdsworth's demand for "greater transparency" in the Party related directly to this issue, as rumours had spread of a gap between MEP's incomes and their actual declared spending. The former chairman's resignation has now been followed by a senior member of the Party’s NEC and more are expected to follow.

Meanwhile, Wise remains a UKIP MEP, but surely not for much longer, the third to be expelled. And, if losing two, "would look like carelessness," we need another Lady Bracknell to suggest a word for the triple loss.

And let's address the substance rather than shooting the messenger.

Incidentally, the East Region has a meeting on Saturday.

And by the way I thought there was a UKIP press officer.

Bluemerle · 23-10-2005, 10:47 AM

The Kilroy effect had an unfortunate result in some cases. People who were not realistically expected to be elected got catapulted INTO phpbb_power, which went to their heads. (Perhaps this is why Nigel likes to keep control of the reins???? Just a thought).

Our MEPs should remember that people voted for the Party, for UKIP, not for them personally. Most people do not know the names of their MEPs, but they remember the party name, and the MEPs should think before they do or say anything to hurt this.

I do not expect these people (whoever they are!!!) to stand for UKIP at the next Euro election. We need people who know what they are doing, and take responsibility for what they say and how they act.

Perhaps it is time to clean out the Augean Stables. :shock:

Simon · 23-10-2005, 12:36 PM

hahahahahahahahaha

Hypocrisy.

Percentage · 23-10-2005, 02:22 PM

It's really not hard to see why there is so much reluctance from UKIP MEP's to show any willingness to spend time over here on domestic issue's etc,especialy with such a "range of expensive perks"!

Britannist · 24-10-2005, 03:02 PM

Was the above news item on Mr. Wise carried in editions of the Sunday Telegraph all around the country? I've checked my copy of the Sunday Telegraph (23.10.2005) three times - been through every page and can't find the story at all. If it's not in my copy it was probably not printed in many other copies distributed in the London area.

23-10-2005, 08:52 AM	#3 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 31,182 Party: Libertarian Party	Magic. :x Silence isn't good enough on this one. Either UKIP release a full statement refuting the allegations, or if it is true then I expect him to be expelled from the party in disgrace. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

24-10-2005, 03:02 PM	#10 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	Article on Mr. Wise not in all copies of S. Telegraph Was the above news item on Mr. Wise carried in editions of the Sunday Telegraph all around the country? I've checked my copy of the Sunday Telegraph (23.10.2005) three times - been through every page and can't find the story at all. If it's not in my copy it was probably not printed in many other copies distributed in the London area.

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23-10-2005, 03:29 AM	#2 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 10,208 Party: None	If this is true, I am not sure that Tom can realistically expect to keep his position. However, it is in the papers and no doubt there is another side to the story that hasn't been revealed.

23-10-2005, 09:28 AM	#4 (permalink)
Sheila Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Reading Posts: 580	. I am a bit puzzled by this story, as it has always been my understanding that although the MEP decides how many staff he or she wants to employ, and what they should be paid, the payments are then made to the staff direct, and not to the MEP. .

23-10-2005, 10:27 AM	#5 (permalink)
Anthony Butcher Administrator Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Long Ashton, Bristol Posts: 10,208 Party: None	This is a very long article, and seems to repeat itself. It is as if the author had an assigned number of words to fill, and had to stretch it out.

23-10-2005, 10:31 AM	#6 (permalink)
Buffin Junior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Herts. Posts: 27	From Richard North's EU referendum blog - "To lose one may be regarded as a misfortune," said Lady Bracknell. "To lose two would look like carelessness." That much could already be said of the UK Independence Party which, from the heady days of the Euro-elections last year, swept up twelve seats, only to lose Ashley Mote when it was learned that he had failed to declare an impending court case for benefit fraud, and then the egregious Kilroy-Silk following a very public fall-out. But now, if the story in today's Sunday Telegraph is any guide, the Party is well on its way to losing a third. This particular MEP is one of the least-known of the ten remaining, a certain Tom Wise (above). He appears to have been contradicting his own surname, having claimed £36,000 from the EU parliament to pay his researcher, Lindsay Jenkins, and then pocketing all but the £6,000 that he actually paid her. When confronted by the Telegraph, he admitted that the extra money was in his bank account, claiming that he had not intended to spend it and was keeping it for his researcher. However, Jenkins, herself had been unaware that, in claiming her £6000, paid as a monthly retainer of £500, Wise had told the EU parliament that it was six times higher than it actually was. When asked why there was a discrepancy between the amount he was claiming and the sum he had agreed to pay Jenkins, Wise told the Telegraph, "I don't fancy answering." Wise is a former assistant to Geoffrey Titford and number two in the Eastern Region behind him. Titford recently took over the chairmanship of the Party after the resignation of Petrina Holdsworth. It now looks as if Holdsworth's resignation was not entirely unrelated to today's disclosure as it also appears that Wise's "indiscretion" was known to senior members of the Party who appeared unwilling to act. Sources indicate that Holdsworth's demand for "greater transparency" in the Party related directly to this issue, as rumours had spread of a gap between MEP's incomes and their actual declared spending. The former chairman's resignation has now been followed by a senior member of the Party’s NEC and more are expected to follow. Meanwhile, Wise remains a UKIP MEP, but surely not for much longer, the third to be expelled. And, if losing two, "would look like carelessness," we need another Lady Bracknell to suggest a word for the triple loss. And let's address the substance rather than shooting the messenger. Incidentally, the East Region has a meeting on Saturday. And by the way I thought there was a UKIP press officer.

23-10-2005, 10:47 AM	#7 (permalink)
Bluemerle Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dorset. Posts: 3,252	The Kilroy effect had an unfortunate result in some cases. People who were not realistically expected to be elected got catapulted INTO phpbb_power, which went to their heads. (Perhaps this is why Nigel likes to keep control of the reins???? Just a thought). Our MEPs should remember that people voted for the Party, for UKIP, not for them personally. Most people do not know the names of their MEPs, but they remember the party name, and the MEPs should think before they do or say anything to hurt this. I do not expect these people (whoever they are!!!) to stand for UKIP at the next Euro election. We need people who know what they are doing, and take responsibility for what they say and how they act. Perhaps it is time to clean out the Augean Stables. :shock:

23-10-2005, 12:36 PM	#8 (permalink)
Simon Member Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 391	hahahahahahahahaha Hypocrisy.

23-10-2005, 02:22 PM	#9 (permalink)
Percentage Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: N.Ireland Posts: 1,729	It's really not hard to see why there is so much reluctance from UKIP MEP's to show any willingness to spend time over here on domestic issue's etc,especialy with such a "range of expensive perks"!