by Admin
- Schulz refers incident to French authorities ‘given the seriousness and criminal implications’
- Says ‘further evidence is needed to clarify’ what happened in fracas between Woolfe and Hookem in Strasbourg earlier this month
- Woolfe quit Ukip after fracas with Hookem left him hospitalised this month
- UKIP Investigation says it is unlikely Hookem pushed or assaulted Woolfe
Police have been brought in to investigate the altercation between two Ukip MEPs which plunged the party into crisis earlier this month.
European Parliament president Martin Schulz said he had referred the incident involving Mike Hookem and Steven Woolfe, who subsequently quit Ukip, to the French authorities ‘given the seriousness of the reported facts and their possible criminal implications’.
Mr Woolfe was left hospitalised after the fracas in the Strasbourg European Parliament and claimed Mr Hookem punched him after being confronted over claims he was considering defecting to the Tories.
Today Mr Schulz told MEPs that an investigation by the Parliament revealed that ‘further evidence is needed to clarify this matter’.
Mr Schulz told MEPs this morning: ‘Following those events I referred the matter to the code of conduct committee, which examined the case very carefully and has advised me to refer the matter to the public prosecutor.
‘Medical examinations carried out after Mr Woolfe’s admission to hospital suggest that when he collapsed that followed a blow to the head – that stems from a medical report.
‘I have taken note of Mr Woolfe’s allegations and there is a clear suspicion that he was subjected to an act of violence, which is why we have referred the matter to prosecutors.
‘I have no doubt about Mr Woolfe’s allegations personally.’
Shortly after Mr Schulz’s statement to MEPs, UKIP published a report of an internal investigation they carried out into the incident.
The investigation found the MEP who was “painted… as a victim” in a stand up row with one of his colleagues instigated the clash and meant for it to be a physical altercation and it was “unlikely” MEP Mike Hookem pushed Woolfe through a door, which was originally thought to be what caused Woolfe to suffer two seizures and be treated in hospital for bleeding on the brain.
It said that when Woolfe invited Hookem outside to deal with a quarrel “man to man”, Woolfe meant it as a “physical altercation”. It detailed how Woolfe exited the main meeting room where MEPs were gathered in Strasbourg through one door while while Hookem went into the same room through another.
The two were then alone in a larger meeting room, but as no other MEPs were present, UKIP’s report said it could “offer no determination on what the facts might be” on what happened next. The inquiry added it was “unlikely” Hookem was in a position to push Woolfe through the door but that it could not make a “definitive determination” given the lack of witnesses.
Woolfe will not face any repercussions, UKIP’s Chairman Paul Oakden said, as he has left UKIP. Hookem escaped suspension but will have a “formal reprimand” placed on his internal record.
It will be interesting to see which version of events the French Police will believe.
UKIP has been in turmoil for many months and it is looking increasingly unlikely, because of the feuding factions within its NEC, that it will be able to function as a credible political party for the foreseeable future.
3
I remember several altercations within the debate and voting chamber of the e.u. Superstate , over the years. There are no witnesses to the incident and the e.u. authorities are only trying to get involved to have a go at U.KIP ! Giving maximum publicity to a so called investigation , they are trying to get a little bit of revenge on the Party that got MONEY PROVIDER BRITAIN , away from their vile organisation !
That may be an incentive but if a criminal act has been committed then it would not be right for the EU to not report the facts to the French police. Fact is all this goes to show UKIP is unfit for purpose and now its members and senior officials are fighting like rats in a sack because they have no real political ideology to hold them together. The only good UKIP can do now is to put pressure on the government to get us out of the EU as quickly as possible in the form of a ‘hard’ Brexit or REAL Brexit as I call it.
That UKIP has pulled-out of the forthcoming Richmond Park by-election is a dereliction of duty to the electorate. They agree with Zac Goldsmith that another runway at Heathrow shouldn’t be built and there is nothing wrong with that but the Lib Dems are aiming to use this by-election to win support for a ‘soft’ Brexit and if they do well or even win then the government will get the idea we are ok with such an exit and that isn’t ok because a ‘soft’ Brexit means we will still be a part of the Single Market and the EU will force us to continue to have freedom of movement in exchange for that.
A video posted online following the BNP’s recent lost deposit at the Batley & Spen parliamentary by-election, party chairman Adam Walker blatantly tried to mislead members and viewers by pretending that the BNP had taken control of a council in Essex.
Mr Walker was desperately trying to deflect attention from the fact that the BNP vote in Batley & Spen had fallen from more than 7% to 2.7%, despite major parties including the Tories, UKIP and the Liberal Democrats not putting up candidates in this latest by-election.
So he claimed that on the same day the BNP had achieved a great success, gaining control of Heybridge Council.
The truth – as H&D has regularly reported – is that the BNP’s Heybridge organiser Richard Perry also runs a local pressure group campaigning against plans to build additional housing in his area.
It is this group, under the label ‘Fighting Unsustainable Housing – Because We Care’, that has won several parish council seats during the past year, and with two further victories last week, now has a majority on Heybridge Council.
Richard Perry (centre) celebrates with newly elected councillors Ashley Jones and Trevor Cable, who represent the ‘Fighting Unsustainable Housing’ group – not the BNP.
Richard Perry (centre) celebrates with newly elected councillors Ashley Jones and Trevor Cable, who represent the ‘Fighting Unsustainable Housing’ group – not the BNP.
These victories reflect great credit on Mr Perry, but unlike his party leader he does not pretend that the parish councillors represent the BNP in any way. Quite the opposite, Mr Perry very honestly told his local newspaper this week that “we are not really pushing the party political issues. …Everyone knows what my political beliefs are but most people just say ‘we don’t care, you’re a good councillor’. We are more interested in fighting the unsustainable housing. It is about local issues not national issues.”
Mr Perry added: “Anyone who wants to join our group is welcome, no matter of their political party, affiliation or religion. …Parish councils are non-political; if I’m standing in a district council election, it is a different matter but we’re not involved on that basis.”
It couldn’t be clearer: Mr Perry’s parish council group campaigns solely on the local housing issue, and if a Muslim Labour Party member or a Jewish Communist wanted to join and become one of their councillors, they would be most welcome. This is not a BNP victory, and Mr Walker should stop his fraudulent pretence.
johnshaw ( Party Official ) Although I have worked very hard for our British Democratic Party I have remained a member of the B.N.P. ( for 15 years with one year out ) and have paid the £ 125 per year Platinum fee. I also pay , by standing order , a further £ 125 per year. This DECEPTION IS THE FINAL STRAW and I will sadly RESIGN , FINALY ON MONDAY. Having been a paid up NATIONALIST since 1973 , I will always have goodwill to the B.N.P. and ALL TRUE NATIONALIST ORGANISATIONS. Despite poor health I intend working for the British Democratic Party EXCLUSIVLY at any level that I am able to serve. WE WILL WIN !
johnshaw ( Party Official ) Talking about winning , those of us who put leaflets through doors or hand them out to the public or stand in Elections will tell you that the reaction to our PARTY NAME IS INCREDIBLE. Instead of the downright HOSTILITY , WHIPPED UP BY THE MEDIA WITH LIES , THAT WE NEARLY ALWAYS EXPERIENCE WITH THE OLD PARTY , WE GET CONSIDERABLE SYMPATHY OR INDEED SUPPORT ! With our current rules at the moment , allowing joint membership , I urge all PATRIOTS TO JOIN THE NATIONALIST PARTY WITH THE RESPECTABLE NAME.
For the attention of John Shaw and Jim Jones. Please do not start a Nationalists slanging- match. I do not know Adam Walker very well. I do believe that he has the makings of a good leader but he still has much to learn. He also has much to unlearn, because he has obviously picked up some bad habits from the previous leader of the BNP that he needs to discard.
The poor BNP result in the recent Bately and Spen election was mainly due to the plethora of “Nationalists” candidates that stood. Proof positive of the vital need for Nationalist unity.
If the BDP became a future threat to the establishment instead of a tiny cloud on the horizon, then the respectability that you speak of will disappear like the tiny cloud does on a hot summers day. The establishment hacks will make sure of that.
johnshaw ( Party Official ) solutrean , Having read your comments , for many years , on the old Party website , I know you are a first class Patriot. However , having been a ‘ paid up ‘ Nationalist since 1973 and having friends in every Nationalist organisation in Britain , I can tell you that the way forward is the BRITISH DEMOCRATIC PARTY .