Member of European Parliament and Ukip leader Nigel Farage. He has been branded a ‘hypocrite’ for claiming up to £15,000 a day in taxpayer-funded expenses for bodyguards. Photo/COURTESY
Nigel Farage – Member of the EU Parliament who spends Sh2.2 million a day in bodyguards
By AGENCIES
A member of European Parliament Nigel Farage is said to spend up to £15,000(Sh2.2 million) a day in taxpayer-funded expenses for bodyguards.
The Ukip leader used EU funds to pay for a team of ex-military personnel to follow him around the country as he made referendum campaign speeches.
Documents leaked show how the security firm, whose guards have previously protected Sir Elton John, sent a series of hefty bills to the European Parliament for its services. A checklist of tasks included ‘ensuring refreshments have been arranged’ for Farage.
The team, led by a former military police officer who served in Afghanistan, accompanied the MEP at great expense through his tour even when he was speaking in front of only a few hundred people.
Farage, who has repeatedly criticised wasteful EU spending, racked up a security bill of £58,000 for just five events held in modest venues such as a darts arena in Essex where there was not a single demonstrator. Opponents last night branded him a ‘hypocrite’ as he confirmed the seemingly extravagant spending.
According to the Daily Mail , the European Parliament refused to condemn the payments, saying it was up to Farage to decide how his Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy group (EFDD) spent its £2.5 million-a-year EU funding.
Farage embarked on the ‘Say No to the EU’ tour a series of public meetings he described as ‘the largest Eurosceptic campaign perhaps ever seen’ in the final four months of last year.