Brexit campaign group Leave.EU has been eliminated with its controversial co-founder Arron Banks seems to be writing off loan worth more than £7 million.
Documents submitted to the Registration Chamber also show that the anti-European lobbying group, which was led by Nigel Farage during the 2016 EU membership referendum. campaign has failed pay in dozens of thousands in fines owed to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) for violations of Data law.
Nonetheless decision Banks apparently writes off £7,051,987 in credits for Leave.EU will be attract most controversial after many years of assumption over source of its financing of the EU referendum campaign.
In 2018, the direction was made election commission to the National Crime Agency, stating that Banks was not “true source” of credit and what money came from “inappropriate sources.”
NCA found no evidence of crimes, concluding that Banks took loan from the island of He owned the Man company, to which he was legally entitled.
Banks denied any wrongdoing and dismissed claims related to his funding as “ludicrous”.
Critics said the obvious yesterday writing off of £7 million may be considered a reasonable amount by Banks. price for violation caused on Brexit.
Chris Bryant, Chairman of house of The Commons Standards Committee said “I wonder when we wake up up to real damage done [by Banks] to this country. £7 million he out of pocket frankly the least of It.”
Another Labor MP, Ben Bradshaw, said: “£7 million is a very small Great for for a long time-term the damage Banks has done to Britain.”
bradshaw, who formerly called on in government research possible role plays “dark money” in EU referendum more wide, added: “I’m sorry everyone. saga illustrates the importance of reliable independent regulation of political donations and campaign funding at a time when Tories government obsessed on emasculation of the electoral commission”.
Last month government published details of “elections power takeover”, which many believe would undermine the independence of the commission.
Banks was the biggest patron of Brexit campaign. In the spring of 2016, he donated £6 million. in Leave.EU credits are huge amount for British political campaign – which, as indicated in the reports, were to be repaid by the end of 2017.
Documents of the Registration Chamber confirm banks, and former Whip the donor, never called in such big debts instead appears to write them off in April of this year, by now the amount has exceeded £7 million due to a change in loans and interest rates.
The documents also show that Leave.EU did not pay £52,000 in penalties due with ICO.
After investigation of abuse of personal data by political campaigns, Leave.EU was fined £45,000 for sending more than a million emails on his subscribers which contained marketing for bank-owned insurance company.
It was also fined £15,000 for illegal using Eldon Insurance customer data to send out almost 300,000 political marketing messages before the referendum.
At the time, Leave.EU said it was “a politically motivated attack” because of his participation in Brexit.
Representative on Saturday for ICO said: “We will continue to monitor progress of insolvency and support liquidator with their requests, if required”.
In 2018, when announced that the NCA is investigating allegations that he covered up a source of donations used to fund Leave.EU, Banks said: “There is no evidence of any wrongdoing by companies I own. I am a UK taxpayer and have never received foreign donations.”
leading Brexit Campaigner added that he was “sure that full and a frank investigation will finally put an end to the ridiculous accusations made against me and my colleagues”.
Banks have been approached for comment over liquidation of Leave.EU and did he write off £7 million.
According to the submission to Companies House, Leave.EU available assets worth £4233 at the time of liquidation.