ADDE Funding row

Commenting on the news that the Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe* (and UKIP in particular) has been found to have misspent hundreds of thousands of euros of public money, Greens/EFA co-president Philippe Lamberts said:

“It is clear from the report that UKIP has run roughshod over the rules designed to protect the democratic system they purport to hold so dear. The misspending of taxpayers’ money by corrupt elites is exactly the sort of story they like to pedal, but they now appear to have been hoisted by their own petard.

“This is not a case of meddling 'Brussels bureaucracy'. The rules, which are there to protect democracy, are crystal clear – EU funds cannot be used in any form for national campaigning or political party activities.”

Greens/EFA MEP and Vice President of the European Parliament Ulrike Lunacek added:

“We expect the audit report to be confirmed at the European Parliament Bureau meeting on Monday, and look forward to a firm and unequivocal response from the Parliament authorities. The money must be paid back and UKIP held to account for its fraudulent manipulation of the British electorate.”

* The Alliance for Direct Democracy in Europe is a European political party, dominated by UKIP.