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In August, various news outlets reported a rumour that former UKIP leader Nigel Farage had applied for German citizenship and passport. That allegation was rubbished by ‘sources close to’ Mr Farage:
Significantly, although a UKIP spokesman rubbished the rumour, when challenged Mr Farage refused to deny that he had been applying for a passport and is not on record doing so since:
In a worldwide exclusive, the SKWAWKBOX can reveal reports that not only did Nigel Farage apply for a German passport, but he did so on the day after the EU referendum – and is under police investigation for allegedly providing false information.
Mr Farage was reported to the police by a concerned German citizen with an interest in British politics, who knew of the application and believed it could not have been made legitimately.
German law normally requires 8 years residency – with only minimal absences – in order to qualify for a passport. For those with a German spouse – Mr Farage’s wife is German – the length of residency is reduced to 3 years’ continual residency. Mr Farage has not, according to the complainant, come anywhere near meeting those requirements but, on the application form, used the Hamburg address of a relative of his wife to claim residency.
The fact of the application and of the subsequent allegation and police investigation can be found in these confirmations from Hamburg police to the complainant – the first being the initial confirmation of receipt and case number and the second a response to a request for an update:
The SKWAWKBOX has spoken to the Hamburg police station PK24 and, while unwilling to discuss details of the case, the officer confirmed that the case reference, which is highlighted in the first image above, concerns a live and ongoing case 3 months after the complaint.
The ongoing police case puts beyond doubt the question of whether Nigel Farage made an application for a German passport.
The information from the complainant makes clear that he did so immediately after the EU referendum, which means that while celebrating his ‘win’ to take Britain out of the EU, he was making plans to retain EU citizenship.
The ongoing police investigation also raises an interesting possibility about Farage’s frequent appearances with US President-elect Donald Trump.
According to the German Staatsangehörigkeitsgesetz (Nationality Act), an attempt to obtain German naturalisation under false pretences is a serious offence with serious consequences:
Could Nigel Farage’s eagerness to cosy up to Trump and rumoured attempts to gain US citizenship be driven by a desire to be out of reach of the potential consequences if he were found guilty, given the difficulty of extraditing US citizens to other countries to face trial?
Whatever the truth about Farage’s recent fondness for the US, it now appears that the then-UKIP leader was campaigning to take Britain out of the EU while intending to retain EU citizenship for himself. Draw your own conclusions about that and what it means for him and whether his supposed disdain for the EU was anything more than ego-driven posturing to support a vanity project.
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Quisling.
Quite!
Seems like Mr Farage doesn’t hate Europe quite as much as he led us to believe! So why was he so keen to get the UK out of Europe? Did he just want his own tax haven on Europe’s doorstep, maybe?
Awww who’s a naughty boy then?
He never professed to hate Europe. Just the EU. Which is like loving football but hating FIFA.
A whiff of ‘desperation’ in your reply, Young YW! This sounds NOT unlike Ole NonStick Nigel’s claim that he voted to keep his dodgy EU parliamentary expenses/allowances ‘fiddle money’ claims SECRET,….by ….ahem!….. ‘accident’… when he REALLY meant to vote to make them freely available!!!!!! Strange! ALL the other UKIP MEP shysters made EXACTLY the SAME ….. ahem!…. ‘mistake’!! I humbly…..add!
He wanted, like all of the establishment, freedom to modify our uncodified constitution without any restraint.
Reblogged this on Diary of an SAH Stroke Survivor.
I’m confused. Where’s the _proof_ that those emails relate to Farage?
Yep. Clearly there’s no proof whatsoever, certainly not in this ‘news’ article. I don’t live key Farage and his ilk but I call bs.
Images are not the only form of evidence.
Presumably, as the receipt and request for further information would only be communicated to the original complainant, they must know what, and who they were complaining about.
The source is the proof, but unfortunately, undisclosed sources are not provable. That doesn’t mean the story, or the source are unreliable, only that further investigation must be undertaken, which, if the story is true, appears to be exactly what is happening.
I do remember the story of him being spotted in the queue at the german consulate, and it being claimed that he was there applying for a passport. And I remember a follow-up story where he confirmed he was there, but denied that applying for a passport was his purpose for being there.
So, there is definitely some truth to the article: He was definitely in the consulate. He was definitely applying for something. He was definitely spotted by someone who was struck enough by the potential hypocrisy to make two national news stories out of it. And there is someone working at the German consulate who definitely knows why he was there, but hasn’t come out to say publically one way or the other (which is compatible with the actions of someone who went to the police instead).
So, on balance, I think it is a fair assumption to make to say that this story at least warrants further investigation, and that if it isn’t provably true, it is at least not untrue.
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nigel-farage-german-citizenship-application-embassy-queue-claims-complete-rubbish-rejected-latest-a7194161.html
I know – that was the article linked to in the post. They would say that, wouldn’t they – when they thought there was no evidence available.
Enjoyed many of your articles, but the evidence for this one seems to be missing. I see no reference to Farage in the documents you provide. In fact, are you even sure they’re related to a dodgy citizenship request? My German is non-existent so I could be missing something.
The evidence for the content of the formal police complaint was in the conversations with the source. That can’t be rendered photographically and a condition of the conversation was anonymity for the source.
That’s fine. Don’t get me wrong, I’d love there to be proof of what you’re saying about Farage. But from what you’ve said it appears that this is not proof, it’s hearsay. The claim seems to be totally dependent on the unsubstantiated word of one anonymous source. I think this is a real issue. Those of us who already dislike Farage are unlikely to like him any less on the strength of this article. The challenge for us all is to try to open the eyes of those who have been seduced by him and his ilk. If they come here on the basis of a headline claiming proof against him, and find only hearsay, it’s only going to strengthen their feeling that he’s being misjudged/persecuted by (for the want of a better word) the “left”. Publishing things that make big claims on little evidence (and no evidence that can actually be published), feels like the wrong strategy to me. Feels, dare I say it, like a strategy the other side would use. Like I say, I’d love it if this story ends up being proven. Until it is, wouldn’t it be better to be open and honest about the strength of ones evidence?
Not just one source, but only one was willing to be quoted rather than background – until the address article just posted, so you should take a look at that.
I’m fluent in German… there’s absolutely no reference to farage,i der immigration or whatever to be found
#1 the “success” page from an online submission form
#2 An auto-confirmation email from the police that #1 was recieved
Try it yourself with a photo of shrek, a cooking recipe pdf and you’ll get EXACTLY the same result
I know. The article doesn’t claim that those two images, in isolation, are proof. But they’re not in isolation.
Well…. the headline does suggest the article contains proof, other than those two images you have provided no evidence.
Given you’re a credible journalist, I think it would be perfectly reasonable for you to report that you’d had a conversation with an anonymous source you believe to be reliable – however I don’t think you should claim you have proof.
Not all the proof is photographic and what can be disclosed is limited by anonymity. I’ve seen it and refer to it as far as possible. If the case with the police is live, which it is, and concerns Farage, which it does, that’s proof he made the application. That’s all the article claims is proven – the rest is pending the outcome of the investigation.
Please could you say more about the details that the police station did confirm. E.g., did the confirm that the person being investigated was Nigel Farage? How can I get in touch with you?
The article claims, and I quote “The ongoing police case puts beyond doubt the question of whether Nigel Farage made an application for a German passport.” Well, no, it doesn’t. I read German and a) there is nothing in the documents cited in the article linking Farrago to the case (indeed he is not mentioned at all) and b) in this most Europhile of countries, were this to be the case, it would be all over the German news. Which, believe me, it is not. All the two emails confirm is that a case was opened on the 30th September 2016 (which could actually be someone’s budgie being stolen), and that a query is being forwarded from the Press and PR department (which could also be about budgie rustling) to another division – PK24 – of the Hamburg police. You claim “The evidence for the content of the formal police complaint was in the conversations with the source. That can’t be rendered photographically and a condition of the conversation was anonymity for the source”. So, effectively, we have to take your word for it, and the documents you cited prove absolutely nothing whatsoever. Until you actually link the case number to a document with Farage’s name on it, I will feel free to ignore this . PS I am not a Kipper, but false news will do our cause in debunking UKIP no good whatsoever.
Anonymous blogger makes sensational claim against Farage, backed up by two screenshots which on translation prove to be no evidence whatever, but assures us that some unnamed source says it is true. Great. I can’t understand why this story isn’t all over the internet. Maybe there is a conspiracy of silence?
The address used has been provided, which is easily checkable whether it belongs to a relative of Mrs Farage – knock yourself out, as it’s hardly the kind of detail someone making up a story would provide. Are you a UKIP supporter, by any chance?
I lived in Munich for eight years. I speak and read German fluently. The Aktenzeichen you have highlighted is not a case number relating to Farage, it is a file number for the letter being replied to.
I sincerely hope that you are right and that Farage gets caught, but the email you show us here unfortunately does not in any way confirm that that is the case.
Cameron Gazzola Black.
That point has been made by others – and isn’t relevant. The confirmation of the live case was obtained from Hamburg police directly, the article does not claim that the email confirmations are probative in isolation.
You are acting very unproffessional. Your source is either going to need to deanonymise themselves or go to a credible newspaper.
(I also hope this is true. But there needs to be proof.)
You can’t claim this is ‘proof’ in the absence of other details. And you can’t claim every time someone questions this issue, as you have done, that the person is a UKIPper – I am a leftwing socialist, as the merest persual of the internet or my FB page would evidence.
I haven’t – for example, I haven’t said that of you. It’s more about the attitude of the comment than the content.
Excellent. Correct.
Reblogged this on sdbast.
Is it still the case that anyone who commits a criminal offence has just kissed goodbye to an entry visa to the USA? If so, a big “oh dear…”
here…
Farage has happily drawn a salary and will no doubt draw a pension from the EU. And he has clearly intended to become an EU citizen despite his effort to remove UK citizens from EU citizenship whether they wish it or not. Self serving, dishonest politicians are nothing new. – and prosecutions or repercussions rarely,if ever happen.
However, Farage has spent his career stressing the fact that no country should take immigrants who do not respect the beliefs and values of their adopted country. Since he has spent years attacking German policies and publicly defaming their government and leader, he should withdraw his application immediately.
If this wasn’t about Farage, it could be straight off an alt right site. Stretching the definition of “proof” to the very extreme. An anoymous source told you they reported Farage and then got a follow up email back from the police. They provide screenshots of the emails, which provide no details of the claim being made. But hey, you’ve assured us that it’s all above board. Oh, and then you go on the offensive over anyone that questions this sorry effort of a story, claiming they must be pro Farage.
There’s no evidence here against Farage. There’s just a claim made by your anonymous source to the police that they’ve told you about. Proof would be a copy of Farages’ application for citizenship. Even a source that had seen the application would be something. This, it’s tittle tattle that you’ve eagerly repeated. I know it’s tempting to stick the boot into men as odious as Farage, but if you’re purporting to be a news site then you have to refrain from doing so if you don’t actually have any evidence.
I think you didn’t see the bit about the sources and evidence that had to be kept as background.
He did see “the bit about sources” – and indeed, mentions ‘an anonymous source…’. Which bit of this are you are struggling with ? Do you not understand that, without clear, uncontravertible evidence, this is just gossip or tittle tattle? And will remain so unless something credible linking Farage and the application is revealed. I see you have retreated from the supposition that the address Farage is alleged to have given is a residential address. How many hours was spent defending the indefensible. The sad thing is, you so much want this to be true, you have suspended your critical faculties.
You’re incorrect, including about the ‘retreat’.
“If the case with the police is live, which it is, and concerns Farage, which it does, that’s proof he made the application.”
No, it isn’t. It’s proof that he’s been accused of making a claim and the police are investigating it. If I accuse you of killing someone and the police investigate, it doesn’t prove that you’ve killed anyone now does it?
You’ll wind up getting yourself in trouble if you start wafting around accusations for which there is no evidence for.
*accused of making an application
As Mr. Farage told us in his televised debate with Nick Clegg, “We’re not anti European, we want to trade with Europe, co-operate with Europe, get on well with our next door neighbours, but we don’t want a part of political union”.
So how’s his conflict with his application for German citizenship?
You’re kidding right? Ego trip to take the UK out, then applying to get back in – and you’ll make excuses for that?
As a result of his campaign millions of UK citizens have lost their EU citizenship. At the very least, it is an act of profound hypocrisy on his part, and those who voted Leave because they were persuaded by him have the right to know that he applied for EU citizenship so soon after the referendum result. If he also did it with a fraudulent application, he has done something criminal, and this should also be publicly known.
But, er, he hasn’t made an application. He’s not even eligible to do so, as he doesn’t speak German.
Interesting that he hasn’t refuted it, then.
The queen hasn’t denied David Icke’s accusation of being a 9 foot shape shifting lizard. Doesn’t make it true, does it ?
Meh. Awful analogy.
But true. You can’t impute someone is guilty because they refuse to refute allegations. Like you can’t ask someone to disprove a theory you have put forward, or say everyone who doesn’t believe you is a UKIP supporter.
All of which you have done.
This piece of fake news by squark box and pinger should be recognised for the tilted rubbish it is. False accusations and abuse by a self admitted left wing nobody who likes to be anonymous so he can shoot from the shadows.
Fantastic piece of reporting assuming this story is true. It is absolutely imperative that the the world – particularly the bit of it occupied by the old and gullible who bought his deceitful propaganda – knows what a hypocrite he is.
Rubbish reporting more like and fake news with no proof of anything.
In Germany there is a law that you have to be registered in your area of residence. So you can’t actually just swan into the embassy and pretend to live somewhere there by giving a friends address.
So what? There has to be proof of an offence for a conviction. There is no proof of a thing in the squark article. It’s just unsubstantiated nonsense.
That doesn’t surprise me when all the RATS JUMPED SHIP RIGHT AFTER THE BREXIT VOTE , none of these RATS should be allowed to hold any position in GOVERNMENT.
What rats are those? Is this the same sort of language the Nazi used? Are you a closet Nazi?
Oh, I do hope that this is true. Lock him up and throw away the key.
One really hopes you never serve on a jury. There is no proof of anything in this article by ssquark box! No evidence nothing!
Great work guys
Not great work at all! Unsubstantiated rumour and a tad of mud slinging.
Yes a bit odd that he applied for a German passport, if he did. The police apparently investigating him for lying to them. So the wuestion is whether he lied to them, or not. Obviously that is not clear at the moment, otherwise he would be in a German cell no doubt.
All the British mep people are entitled to the relevant pension for the job. It’s the terms of the contract, so no problem there.
CAt the moment none of this against Farage is proven.
According to the comment by a resident of Germany who now speaks and writes German, the police case paper is not related to Farage because he is not identified on it. I looked for that as well. Missing! Why? Could it be this piece of paper is nothing to do with Farage?
There is no problem for any Brit applying for a German passport providing of course there is no fraud involved. Brits in general like Europe, the EU however is a different matter.
For those of us who lost family in the Holocaust, and see the same racist path being trodden by UKIP and Farage,, with so many hardworking EU friends persecuted and marginalized, I think this article should be ‘pinned’ to the top of Twitter. Along with the Daily Mail’s possible decision to relocate to Dublin. I have applied for restored citizenship (removed by the Nuremberg Laws in 1938) as my EU Citizenship is about to be removed by the UK Govt in 2018. Farage should be stripped of his citizenship of this country, as my family was, and made to be a ‘citizen of nowhere’.
Farage drove the whole brexit agenda for profit, supported by the most wealthy investors in the UK, with one insidious object in mind.
As with the UK PM, he only pushed for brexit to appease his paymasters.
Evading the new EU anti tax avoidance Directive, and expected EU anti tax evasion legislation to follow, are the real reason for brexit.
There are no justifiable benefits for the British people in brexit, it is pointless to at least 95% of the people of the UK, and can only make our social, and financial, position worse.
This directive has to become UK law, in 2019/20, unless we leave the EU, think about that: https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/business/company-tax/anti-tax-avoidance-package/anti-tax-avoidance-directive_en