Angela Rayner cleared by HMRC. What a coincidence!

Basgetti

I’m more interested in the outcome of the investigation into Farage’s overlooked £5million.

Farage was given this money by a donor to use for life long security
It was given before he became an MP so IIRC it didn’t have to be declared

Remember the milkshake that was thrown over him by the silly ‘influencer’?

Dangerous (could’ve been) and Farage does get out and about meeting Joe Public - far more than Keir Starmer

And look at Siddiq Khan with his motorcade and security

Sadly much needed in this day and age and Farage’s bitcoin donor recognised this fact.

I must have a look. Thanks

The question will be which side of Labour is he on and could he get the factions to agree?

If Farage has so much dosh washing around for “his security” how come he still can’t hold surgeries in Clacton, because of lack of security?

Well I’ve looked at Wikipedia, and at some speeches on YouTube.

Well, he certainly has a presence and authority that I don’t think any of the others have, which is certainly an advantage.

I must now try to find his likely support re left/right.

Bugger - Streeting is taking his chance.

It still rankles. Why would a business man in Thailand give Farage 5 million for his security. He wants something back and it seems it's to open a crypto hub in the UK.
Farage is very into crypto.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Basgetti

I’m more interested in the outcome of the investigation into Farage’s overlooked £5million.

Farage was given this money by a donor to use for life long security
It was given before he became an MP so IIRC it didn’t have to be declared

Remember the milkshake that was thrown over him by the silly ‘influencer’?

Dangerous (could’ve been) and Farage does get out and about meeting Joe Public - far more than Keir Starmer

And look at Siddiq Khan with his motorcade and security

Sadly much needed in this day and age and Farage’s bitcoin donor recognised this fact.

My question is, are you supportive of him receiving the same level of parliamentary, public, and if appropriate, other official scrutiny of this as Angela Rayner has? If there is nothing untoward, good for him, and if there is, bang to rights?

For everyone’s sake - the country in particular I hope labour headquarters extend the leadership battle to a good period in order that there is time to choose the best candidate, one perhaps no one has yet given any consideration?

It was given before he became an MP so IIRC it didn’t have to be declared.

This is not true

The rules on monies received in the 12 months before becoming an MP are very clear. All new MPs were made aware of this in a letter from Daniel Greenberg sent on 5 July 2024 and invited to an induction meeting where any uncertainly could have been clarified.

www.parliament.uk/globalassets/documents/pcfs/advice-notes/parliamentary-commissioner-for-standards---members-induction-pack-2024.pdf

That Farage took £5 million from an overseas donor who had already donated £10 million to the Brexit Party was reason enough to think that this was (see letter):

any benefit ... which others might reasonably consider to influence his or her actions or words as a Member of Parliament.

I don't know how much clearer that can be.

Looks like Wes is on his way. Just resigned from the Cabinet

I thought they had to declare gifts given within a year of being elected, FriedGreenTomatoes2?

Sorry Graphite cross posted!

Whitewavemark2

I must have a look. Thanks

The question will be which side of Labour is he on and could he get the factions to agree?

This was the article with the backstory.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/6821434/marine-commando-to-member-of-parliament-al-carns/

Mamie

Whitewavemark2

I must have a look. Thanks

The question will be which side of Labour is he on and could he get the factions to agree?

This was the article with the backstory.
www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen-aberdeenshire/6821434/marine-commando-to-member-of-parliament-al-carns/

Thanks mamie

Blimey that is impressive! But it doesn’t say much about his outlook except the 3 hums (I like that)

Humanity

Humility

Humour

I'm not fancying a complete unknown for leadership of the Labour Party.

Being thought highly of by Campbell and Stewart doesn't give me much confidence either. A Blairite and a tory

I'll have a look at the New Statesman article later. I assume it sets out his policy ideas?

NotSpaghetti

I thought they had to declare gifts given within a year of being elected, FriedGreenTomatoes2?

Yes, they do. Farage chose not to do so.

He’s been “attacked” at least three times, 2 X milkshakes and numerous eggs!

When he became an MP, he would have been entitled to exactly the same security arranges as any other MP.

MaizieD

I'm not fancying a complete unknown for leadership of the Labour Party.

Being thought highly of by Campbell and Stewart doesn't give me much confidence either. A Blairite and a tory

I'll have a look at the New Statesman article later. I assume it sets out his policy ideas?

He’s got a long way to go before he’s declared PM!

I think it would be foolish indeed at this stage to close the door on any potential candidate.

None of the well known ones have much about them. I mean they are OK but only that.

It isn’t just about what we want - policy wise, but also about who would chime with the voter. That is important.

I wonder how keen HMRC are to excuse any old Joe or Jill Public, who has failed to find out what they need to pay, and to pay it?

The tax was due and has now been paid. She didn't get specialist advise as advised, even Google tells you it was due. She's got a good lawyer.

FriedGreenTomatoes2

Basgetti

I’m more interested in the outcome of the investigation into Farage’s overlooked £5million.

Farage was given this money by a donor to use for life long security
It was given before he became an MP so IIRC it didn’t have to be declared

Remember the milkshake that was thrown over him by the silly ‘influencer’?

Dangerous (could’ve been) and Farage does get out and about meeting Joe Public - far more than Keir Starmer

And look at Siddiq Khan with his motorcade and security

Sadly much needed in this day and age and Farage’s bitcoin donor recognised this fact.

Yes, I remember. Farage has experienced 2 security incidents- both including milk shakes. The first occurred in a 2019 campaign when Farage was Brexit Party leader. The second on 4 June 2024, a day after Farage became the Reform UK party leader and after he announced he had changed his mind and would now stand in the forthcoming July GE. The second incident occurred AFTER Harborne gave Farage a £5million sum.

At the time Frage received this £5million sum he was NOT in front line politics.

Farage stepped back from front line politics when left his role as EU MEP and leader of the Brexit party in 2021. He began his career as a TV and radio broadcaster, notably for GB news and LBC as he stepped back from front line politics. There was absolutely NO reason whatsoever the UK state had any responsibility to fund security for Farage when he was not in front line politics from 2021 to July 2024.

On 23 May 2024, Farage publicly states he would NOT stand for Reform in the forthcoming UK GE, just hours before the Reform leader, Richard Tice, announced the Reform GE campaign. Farage said he wanted to be free to support Trump's campaign in the US. This Farage is still NOT in UK front line politics as at 23 May 2024.

The investigation will no doubt establish the date Harborne gave Farage £5 million pounds, as alleged between 23 May and 3 June 2024.

Farage, allegedly after receiving the £5million sum, then did a double take and assumed office as Leader of Reform UK on 3 June 2024 and Richard Tice stepped down( was kicked out?) from his Reform leadership role. Lo and behold, on the same day Farage announced he would be standing for election as MP for Clacton.

Farage then became an MP for Clacton on 4 July 2024. He is required to declare all donations, payments etc for the period 5 July 2023 to 4 July 2024. The rules are quite clear I doubt about personal gift payments these must also be declared. At this stage he also became eligible for stage funded security in line with all MPs and Party leaders.

May 2026, 2 years later Frage is found out not to have declared the £5 million payment he admits he received fromm Harborne. He states it was an "unconditional, one off, non political, personal gift, to pay for his personal security after he was reportedly denied state- funded protection. If personal non political there is no reason for the state to fund his personal security so the excuse does not stack up.

In context of the time line- perhaps this huge £sum was an inducement to stand as an MP. Perhaps the investigation will establish that Farage has actually spent little to none of this sum on personal security as he claims. Perhaps it will establish
why Farage has repeated claimed on record that he is unable to conduct MP surgeries in his constituency due to "lack of security" when he now claims he has received a sum to fund his security. Perhaps the investigation will establish why Reform chair said Reform UK party funds have been used to additionally fund Farage's personal security rather than dip into the £5million pot.

We shall all find out in due course. Opprobrium has been applied to Raynor in the post. Proportionate opprobrium, in context of the investigation findings should be applied to Farage.

Whitewavemark2

I think it would be foolish indeed at this stage to close the door on any potential candidate.

None of the well known ones have much about them. I mean they are OK but only that.

It isn’t just about what we want - policy wise, but also about who would chime with the voter. That is important.

As I said, I don't subscribe to the New Statesman, but found this much.

"A country where families are one unexpected bill away from crisis, he argues, is not truly stable or strong, regardless of what it spends on defence.

He argues that Labour's election losses "didn't come from nowhere" and that the party has lost touch with voters who feel the system is no longer on their side.

"Working-class voters have not simply left Labour. Many feel Labour stopped understanding their lives, and so they looked elsewhere.

"What is the point of Labour if it does not represent Sheffield, Stoke-on-Trent, Barnsley, Swansea and Aberdeen?

"What is the point of the Labour Party if it cannot replace despair and frustration with hope, stability and purpose? The party was founded to give ordinary working people security, dignity and bargaining power over their lives."

The other thing on his side is that he isn’t from London, and has a Scottish accent!

Going back to Angela Rayner. She has been cleared. She has not had to pay any penalty. That means they have concluded that not only has it been proved that she didn't deliberately try to avoid tax, but she didn't even carelessly avoid it. They have concluded she took reasonable care to pay the right tax and she simply fell foul of a very complex tax law.

Rayner claims that one of the tax lawyers she hired said she still might not have had to pay the higher rate at all, but it would take years to test it in court. Not worth it. So, she's paid it and has been completely exonerated.

Rayner would have got a fine of £8000 if she had been judged "careless" not declaring tax.
Usually the HMRC just impose the fine and let the tax payer appeal or accept it, as happened to Zahawi. Someone made the decision that loosing her job was punishment enough.