Jailed Mote must have his salary suspended

The far-right Member of the European Parliament, Ashley Mote, who was today jailed for nine months for benefit fraud, should have his salary suspended for the duration of his sentence, according to Labour's Richard Corbett, who has written to the Minister responsible, Harriet Harman, calling on her to suspend payment to the disgraced MEP.

Richard, deputy leader of the Labour MEPs, said: “Because his sentence is shorter than 12 months Mote will, under UK rules, be able to remain an MEP but it will be outrageous if he continues to receive a full salary while the people of the south east are under-represented in the European Parliament because of his deceit and greed.”

Mote was elected as an MEP for UKIP. Subsequently he sat as an Independent, before joining the neo-fascist "Identity, Tradition and Sovereignty" Group, which includes Jean-Marie Le Pen and Alessandra Mussolini amongst its members.

Richard added: “By voting UKIP people have ended up with a man who will spend the next few months in jail, having spent the previous few aligning himself with the most unsavoury, right-wing group in the European Parliament's history. He's a disgrace.” /ENDS

back to press releases

contact us

more on the opposition

• MEPs are paid by their national parliaments and not by the European Parliament .

• MEPs receive the same salary as MPs.

• Harriet Harman, as Leader of the House, is responsible for the payment of MEPs and MPs.

• Ashley Mote joined the “Indentity, Tradition and Sovereignty” Group in January 2007.

• Ashley Mote was found guilty of 21 counts of deception on August 17 th in Portsmouth Crown Court.

• Click here to Richard's letter to Harriet Harman

more information

Press enquiries: Contact Luke Thorne, Press and Communications Officer to Richard Corbett MEP

• phone 0113 245 8987
• e-mail luke@richardcorbett.org.uk