UKIP leader Nuttall under investigation by police, forced to leave Stoke ‘home’
Paul Nuttall, the UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader, has been forced to move house amid concerns for his safety following a number of “concerning incidents,” according to the party’s chairperson.
After Nuttall's address was reportedly published on social media, the party claims there have been attempts made to break into Nuttall's house and hate mail has also been posted in his letterbox.
"Since the address of the house Paul Nuttall has been staying at during the Stoke-on-Trent Central campaign was published on social media there have been a series of concerning incidents at or around it,”said party chairman Paul Oakden.
Seen it all before. Same old, same old. They just love democracy. Nice people... https://t.co/1l40DIOINu
— Paul Nuttall (@paulnuttallukip) February 8, 2017
"The most serious of these was two unknown men attempting to gain access to the house through a rear entrance,” Oakden said. "There has also been hate mail posted through the letter box and other intrusive behaviour including trespassing in the private garden of the premises and attempts to take pictures through windows and the letterbox."
Nuttall has been embroiled in a scandal surrounding the home and is currently under investigation by police after admitting to listing his home address as a property in the city when registering to run in the byelection in Stoke-on-Trent without having moved into it.
Guidelines laid down by the Electoral Commission state that those standing for election must give their current home address and it is a crime to supply false information to the Electoral Registration Officer.
Nuttall filed his papers on January 31 and the following day Channel 4 News journalist Michael Crick published a series of images of the vacant property on his Twitter account, questioning Nuttall's legitimacy to run in the election.
Inside the empty Stoke house which Paul Nuttall claimed is his "home", and which will appear on ballot papers as such pic.twitter.com/RR7upTW2Ek
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) February 1, 2017
UKIP spokesman says Paul Nuttall has NOW moved into empty Stoke home Nuttall claimed on nom forms as "home address" pic.twitter.com/gUznRqu4ln
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) February 1, 2017
Stoke returning officer told party agents tonight that a voter has already complained about Nuttall nomination paper. Handled after election
— Michael Crick (@MichaelLCrick) February 1, 2017