Ukip knew of Tory defector’s links to convicted kidnapper… BEFORE he became an MEP
- Ukip leader Nigel Farage claims his party ‘begged’ him to drop Amjad Bashir
- But party knew about his links to convicted criminal before he became MEP
- He was allegedly ‘joined at the hip’ to former Ukip spokesman Mujeeb Bhutto
- Mr Bhutto forced to resign after revelation he masterminded kidnapping plot
By Paul Cahalan
Published: 22:19, 31 January 2015 | Updated: 12:52, 1 February 2015
When Amjad Bashir sensationally defected to the Conservatives last week, Ukip leader Nigel Farage claimed his party had been ‘begging’ him to drop the MEP after being ‘increasingly alarmed by his behaviour over the last few months’.
But The Mail on Sunday can reveal the party was warned about his links with a convicted criminal a year ago – months before he was elected to the European Parliament.
Local activists urged Ukip chairman Steve Crowther to investigate claims Mr Bashir ‘was joined at the hip’ to Mujeeb Bhutto – a former Ukip spokesman who was forced to resign from the party when it emerged he had masterminded a £56,000 kidnapping plot in Pakistan.
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Revelation: Ukip knew about Amjad Bashir’s (left) links to alleged kidnapper Mujeeb Bhutto (right) before the Tory defector became an MEP
‘Joined at the hip’: Local activists wanted Ukip to investigate Amjad Bashir (second from right) because of his links to Mujeeb Bhutto, who was forced to resign from Ukip when it emerged he had masterminded a £56,000 kidnapping plot in Pakistan
Party spin Mr Bashir’s defection to the Conservatives last week triggered an immediate damage limitation exercise by Ukip
Leaked emails, seen by The Mail on Sunday, show that Mr Crowther was warned last February that the pair had possibly broken party rules by not admitting Bhutto’s criminal past, and even questioned if they were ‘Conservative plants’.
Despite this, the party selected Mr Bashir as a candidate and he was elected MEP in May.
Mr Bashir’s defection to the Conservatives last week triggered an immediate damage limitation exercise by Ukip, which announced Mr Bashir had been suspended pending an investigation into ‘extremely serious’ allegations.
These included questions over his ‘continued affiliation with Mujeeb Bhutto, despite the party’s protests against Mr Bhutto’s involvement with Mr Bashir or Ukip’, as well as his ‘finances’ and his alleged interference in a candidate selection processes.
Mr Farage even said that MEPs in his party had been ‘begging me to get rid of Bashir in October and November of last year’ and were ‘increasingly alarmed by his behaviour over the last few months’.
Mr Bashir dismissed Ukip’s response as a ‘desperate attempt’ to smear him and insists there is ‘not a shred of truth’ to the claims.
Former UKIP MEP Amjad Bashir on Western interference in Iraq
Allegations: Ukip leader Nigel Farage (right) claimed his party had been ‘begging’ him to drop Amjad Bashir (left) after being ‘increasingly alarmed by his behaviour over the last few months’
Distanced: Upon Mr Bashir’s (pictured) defection to the Tories, Ukip announced he had been suspended pending an investigation into ‘extremely serious’ allegations
But last night, former Ukip MEP Godfrey Bloom said the leaked emails revealed the party hierarchy knew there were questions over his conduct well before Mr Bashir was appointed as Ukip candidate for the European Parliament. He added Mr Crowther should resign as he had been ‘dishonest’ in his appointment.Mr Bloom said: ‘I am making no criticism of Ukip or Nigel Farage. This is about one man’s dishonesty. I believe Crowther should resign.’
On February 6, 2014, worried party members wrote to Mr Crowther after Bhutto was unmasked as the boss of a gang who kidnapped a Pakistani businessman’s son in Karachi in 2004. Bhutto was later convicted in the UK.
The email to Mr Crowther said: ‘These two have been joined at the hip from the day they joined the party. Bhutto refers to Amjad as uncle… Amjad must have known Bhutto’s past and his convictions.’
It adds: ‘Why did Amjad not disclose the truth, especially as a senior party member? He must have known.’ Finally it questioned whether the pair were ‘Conservative plants’, after it was revealed Mr Bhutto was formerly a Tory Party member.
Mr Crowther apparently investigated some claims and responded to activists on March 2 saying: ‘As I understand it, Mujeeb Bhutto is not related to Amjad Bashir, but has been involved with him in a business context. Mr Bashir tells me he did not know of Mujeeb’s conviction before I raised it with him. At that point, Mr Bhutto confirmed the facts to him and immediately resigned from the party.’
But Mr Bloom said Mr Crowther’s email showed he was ‘trying to sweep the issue under the carpet’. He said: ‘Crowther knew this man’s criminal associations in February.’
Last night, Mr Crowther had no comment to make.
I note another press version.of this article, probably copied from the one above but differently nuanced:
Greg Lance - Watkins (Greg_L-W)
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