Tuesday, June 10, 2008

Public funding for political parties

In the audit-resistant world of EU finances, this may be small fry. But even so, it stinks:

A senior Tory MEP channelled more than £750,000 of parliamentary allowances into a family firm which then gave donations to the Conservative Party, The Independent has established.
Figures from the Electoral Commission show that MP Holdings, which is paid to give Den Dover secretarial and administrative support from European Parliament funds, gave the Chorley Conservative Party a donation of £1,200 in December last year. The firm, run by Mr Dover's wife Kathleen and daughter Amanda, also gave the North West Regional Conservative Party a donation in kind of printing worth £1,701 in 2004.
In company accounts up to April 2007, MP Holdings does not appear to have any other income except from the European Parliament.

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