UKIP suspends MEP

The UK Independence Party has suspended one of its members from their delegation at the European Parliament following confirmation of an investigation into financial irregularity by the EU’s anti-fraud office.

The party, which seeks the UK’s withdrawal from the EU, confirmed yesterday (28 February) that it had suspended Tom Wise from its Parliamentary delegation, but not from the party. "The decision has been made today to suspend Tom Wise from the UK Independence Party group in the European Parliament for failure to provide information regarding alleged financial irregularities that are now under investigation by OLAF," said a statement.

A spokesman said the action was taken not because of the OLAF investigation but because Wise had not informed UKIP about it. An internal party review and a Parliament inquiry last year cleared Wise of any wrong-doing, the spokesman added.

The OLAF inquiry is understood to centre on money which was supposed to have been spent on research assistants but which he paid himself. OLAF confirmed Wise was being investigated but gave no details.

Wise is still a member of the Parliament’s Independence/Democracy political group but a group meeting next Tuesday (6 March) is expected to discuss his fate.

The suspension means he will not be able to attend UKIP delegation meetings and will not get briefing documents from UKIP staff.

"This decision should in no way be interpreted as prejudicial to the outcome of that inquiry," the UKIP statement said.

Wise has been an MEP since 2004, is a former police officer and was office manager for another UKIP MEP, Jeffrey Titford, in 2001-04.

The UK Independence Party has suspended one of its members from their delegation at the European Parliament following confirmation of an investigation into financial irregularity by the EU’s anti-fraud office.