Auditors report on Nikki Sinclaire MEP

Link: http://www.eureporter.co.uk/story/auditors-report-nikki-sinclaire-mep

Independent MEP Nikki Sinclaire has become the first British Member of the European Parliament to receive a satisfactory auditor's report in respect of her expenditure in accordance with articles 25 to 28 of the Parliament's rules.

It looks likely that politician's expenses will become an issue in the forthcoming General Election, as they did in last year's euro-elections, which saw the main parties punished at the polling booths by voters. Ms Sinclaire has highlighted the lack of transparency amongst elected members of all the parties. "Despite all the media coverage, and the fact that criminal charges have been brought against the worst offenders, politicians still have not got the message", she said. "We are still seeing vague and incomplete declarations, politicians are still employing their wives and families, and despite the economic crisis they still go off on luxurious taxpayer-funded junkets".

The issue of politicians diverting allowances to their parties is also an issue that she feels needs to be addressed, and one which parliament and OLAF are known to be investigating. Ms Sinclaire has in fact raised a formal question with the EU Council of Ministers concerning money that she has personally identified as having been diverted from staff budgets and into UK party coffers.

The auditor's report shows that she has not only acted absolutely within the rules, and that she has not benefited personally from her expenditure allowances, but that she has also personally funded her activities on behalf of her constituents to the tune of more than £10,000.

Solihull Ratepayers Association

Nikki Sinclaire MEP was the Keynote Speaker at Solihull Ratepayers Members Forum on Friday 12th March 2010 in Shirley. Ms. Sinclaire flew in from Strasbourg for her first public engagement since taking her stance as an Independent MEP to address Solihull Ratepayers Members Forum at the Shirley Centre last Friday afternoon.

Nikki told members of the Solihull Ratepayers’ Association that she will still
stand against Caroline Spelman in the forthcoming general election - At the SRA’s latest members’ forum at Shirley Centre last Friday she insisted she still had the support of local party activists despite her run ins with national leaders. And she pledged her immediate support to a campaign to see off a threat to the Meriden Gap from Coventry City Council’s housing building plans by promising to display a Save our Green Belt car sticker on her podium in the European Parliament next time
she was called to ask a question.

UKIP candidates have fought the last two general elections in Meriden, but failed to get anywhere near winning the seat which Mrs Spelman holds with a comfortable 7,000 majority. However, the shadow communities and local government secretary was caught up in the recent expenses scandal and was ordered to repay over £2,000 wrongly claimed in cleaning, utility and phone bills. Speaking after the meeting,association secretary Trevor Eames said: “This is the first time we have had an MEP to speak to us and we were all very impressed by Nikki, particularly her attention to detail and her local knowledge.

” Ms Sinclaire, who is from Shirley, added: “I was absolutely delighted to speak to the Solihull Ratepayers’ Association who do a sterling job in looking after the interests of the people of Solihull.

“I would encourage every politician to attend their local meetings because
connecting with local concerns, then addressing them either locally or on a parliamentary level is what politics is supposed to be about,I think far
too many established politicians have forgotten this.”

Ms Sinclaire has also hit out at claims in last week’s Observer by UKIP leader Lord Pearson that she was a trouble maker who did not get on with party members at a regional level. “I read with disbelief Lord Pearson’s comments.

His comments about my relationship with the party in the West Midlands are simply not true.”“In my 16 years of service to UKIP I have never been summoned before a disciplinary panel nor has any complaint ever been made against me.

” She added that she received the unanimous support of the local constituency association, County Committee and on Tuesday night (March 16) a vote of confidence was passed on me by the West Midlands Regional Committee six votes to one.

“It was also said they did not recognise Lord Pearson’s description of
me.” Ms Sinclaire called on Lord Pearson to apologise for his public comments,
reinstate her and allow her to help UKIP succeed in the forthcoming campaign.

EU parliament accused of 'hypocrisy' on gender violence

British MEP Nikki Sinclaire has accused parliament of "failing to properly" investigate her complaint that she was physically assaulted by the assembly's security staff. She says she is dissatisfied with the way parliament's bosses investigated the incident, which dates back to 2005.

Sinclaire made her accusation on Tuesday during a public hearing in parliament to mark international women's day.She accused the parliament of "rank hypocrisy" in pressing for action to tackle violence against women while at the same time "failing" to thoroughly investigate her complaint.

"It is all well and good to crusade against violence against women, which I abhor, but what about my case? Why hasn't that been dealt with properly?

"The security guards who assaulted me are still working in parliament. When I enter parliament I have to walk past the people who assaulted me. It is not right and smacks of double standards."

The incident happened in Strasbourg when Sinclaire, then a member of the UK Independence Party, took part in a peaceful protest against the old EU constitution.

After unfurling a banner, she said she was "dragged" to the ground by six security staff who then proceeded to "punch and kick" her.

The eurosceptic deputy says she was "covered" in bruises and needed hospital treatment as a result of what she calls a "vicious and totally unprovoked" attack.

Sinclaire, who now sits as an independent MEP after her split from Ukip, claims that one of the security staff who assaulted has since been involved in another similar incident in parliament.

Speaking during Tuesday's hearing, she said, "It is all very good for parliament to fly the flag for gender equality and suchlike but it should get its own house in order.

"It is worth remembering that this attack on me happened in parliament, in other words, in my place of work.

"How can parliament take such a position on work-placed gender violence when it failed to investigate my case?"

Watch the speech here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1CuKtoUdsrY

An UPDATE from Nikki Sinclaire MEP

UKIP Throws away MEP

It is with great disappointment that I have today received a letter from the Party Secretary, Michael Zuckerman that removes me as a UKIP MEP. A decision that has lost UKIP it's status as the official opposition in the European Parliament and the UK's 2nd largest party.

There has been no disciplinary procedure and no right of reply. I find this course of action incredulous after 16 years of service. This decision has been made despite expression of absolue support for the Party and intention to continue as a UKIP MEP/Candidate. There was an agreed position between myself, Lord Pearson and fellow UKIP West MIdlands MEP, Mike Nattrass

With only eight weeks before a General Election I find it absolutely amazing that the Party decided to open a sore wound rather than fight the real enemy.

I reserve the right to defend my reputation, my political career and the aims of UKIP by all available means.

Nikki