Arron Banks threatens legal action over Leave.EU investigations
The Brexit campaigner says he may seek a judicial review if the Electoral Commission doesn't reveal who handed it information.
Monday 20 November 2017 17:14, UK
Brexiteer Arron Banks has threatened to go to court over an investigation by the elections watchdog into Leave.EU.
The insurance tycoon, who chairs the campaign group, said he would ask for a judicial review unless the Electoral Commission provides details of the sources of one of its probes within 21 days.
The commission has launched two investigations; into its use of data mining and analysis, and the sources of Leave.EU's funding.
The watchdog wants to find out if there is any wrongdoing attached to an alleged undeclared provision of services by data firm Cambridge Analytica.
A second inquiry is looking into whether "dark Russian money" or overseas donations had been made to Leave.EU.
It will examine whether Mr Banks was the "true source" of three loans worth £6m on non-commercial terms to Leave.EU.
Also, whether Better For The Country Limited (BFTCL) - a company that lists Mr Banks as a director - was acting as an "agent" when it donated £2.3m to five registered campaigners.
On the second investigation, Mr Banks said: "Unless you set out in the next 21 days the source of these allegations and why you find them credible, we intend to seek a judicial review of the decision to investigate our campaign and the political reasons why."
On the first investigation, which is looking at links between Leave.EU, Cambridge Analytica and advocacy firm Goddard Gunster, he said it was yet to be resolved despite going on for "200 plus days".
Last week the commission's head of regulation Louise Edwards said in a letter: "Investigations can take further time where the Commission needs to go back to organisations to ensure that full disclosure of requested material has been provided.
"In relation to our first investigation in respect of Leave.EU, the Commission will shortly set out to Leave.EU areas where it appears material has not been provided, notably relating to documents comprising the services provided by Goddard Gunster in late 2015/early 2016."
Mr Banks responded: "At the outset of the investigation we sent you three lever arch folders full of the relevant information and the last we heard from you was in July.
"There have been no requests for further information or chasers."
He claimed the commission had "sat on" the investigations because it did not have a "shred of evidence" but was too embarrassed "to conclude" them.