The Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards has quashed a complaint that alleged Nigel Farage failed to register an interest in a commercial fishing boat.
Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Daniel Greenberg found that the fishing boat was owned by a company of the Reform UK MP for Clacton and was not a personal asset.
His inquiry found Farage did not receive any income from fishing boat and the commissioner ruled it was therefore “not a registrable interest”.
The complaint was made after Farage said on 23 April: “I’m the only member of Parliament that has a financial stake in the commercial fishing industry… I own a commercial fishing boat.”
Farage told the commissioner the boat was owned by Thorn In The Side Limited and was operated by his son Tom Farage “who also owned the commercial fishing licence”.
Farage told the commissioner: “I have received no income at all from the vessel, which is a depreciating asset. My company owns many other things, including historical objects, property etc.”
Under parliamentary rules, MPs have to declare outside financial interests and failure to do so can lead to a sanction such as updating the register correctly or suspension from the House of Commons for more serious errors.