Leave campaigners complained bitterly about the government spending £9million sending a leaflet to every household. In early April 2016 Gove, the then Justice Secretary, said it was a “disgraceful” use of public money (HERE) and immediately accused Downing Street of announcing the leaflet “to distract from accusations over David Cameron’s tax affairs”.
Now it turns out that from September 2015 until just after Gove spoke in April 2016, Aaron Banks' company Better for the Country Ltd had already supplied the Leave campaign with over £12 million worth of "administrative services" (HERE). This was in the form of "...11m letters, millions of leaflets, Facebook advertising, rallies around the country, and so on.”
But then the flood of spending stopped so they could comply with the £700,000 spending cap that kicked in on 16th April 2016. So, by the time the cap began to apply they had already spent over 17 times the limit!!
In May last year Business Insider (HERE) published a list of the 21 largest donors to the Leave campaign and as we know Banks was at the top of the list with £8.1 million. This is, according to The Guardian in addition to the £12 million pounds worth of service provided up to 15th April 2016.
This means one man, Aaron Banks, spent over £20 million to persuade people to vote to leave the EU. If true, this strikes me as utterly incredible. I know some people dislike the EU - but £20 million? Come on! Was it really all his own money? And what did he get for it?
This morning, news is emerging that Leave.EU., the unofficial Brexit campaign funded by Aaron Banks with Farage as front man, broke Electoral law by overspending and not declaring all expenditure according to the Electoral Commission (HERE).
The Commission say the former CEO of Leave.EU, Liz Bilney, has been referred to the metropolitan police. Faced with criminal prosecution, she may implicate others - who knows? And this is just the beginning. The Electoral Commission is still investigating Vote Leave and the Information Commissioner's Office is also carrying out investigations.
This morning, news is emerging that Leave.EU., the unofficial Brexit campaign funded by Aaron Banks with Farage as front man, broke Electoral law by overspending and not declaring all expenditure according to the Electoral Commission (HERE).
The Commission say the former CEO of Leave.EU, Liz Bilney, has been referred to the metropolitan police. Faced with criminal prosecution, she may implicate others - who knows? And this is just the beginning. The Electoral Commission is still investigating Vote Leave and the Information Commissioner's Office is also carrying out investigations.
