Where Are We This Morning?

Gabriel Pogrund tweets:

Where are we this morning?

George Cottrell’s lawyers acknowledged he paid for Nigel Farage’s staff and security. He did so via electronic transfer from bank accounts in his name.

On the townhouse, they said their client “does, and did” let Farage stay there.

Farage has sought to dismiss both.

On failing to declare funding for operation, he said he didn’t need to: he wasn’t a politician at the time.

On failing to declare use of house, he said he didn’t need to: Cottrell is a friend, so it is exempt.

Sources close to him are also downplaying this dimension generally, saying stays extremely infrequent.

The parliamentary rules say any benefit exceeding £300 in value that is not “purely personal” — i.e., romantic partner or family — and is in any way related to an MP’s “political activities” must be declared. This includes the 12 months before a new MP’s election.

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