‘Height of hypocrisy’: New Brexit Party MEP for northeast England lives in south of France
Former Tory MSP accused of ‘hypocrisy’ for standing on platform to remove free movement
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.A Brexit Party candidate who lives in the south of France has been elected to represent the northeast of England in the European parliament.
Brian Monteith, a former Conservative member of the Scottish parliament, is one of two pro-Brexit candidates to win in the region, after Nigel Farage’s insurgent party pulled off a major victory in the EU elections on Sunday night.
He will be joined in Brussels by John Tennant, a former aide to Mr Farage who once praised a Ukip MEP for using a Nazi slogan to insult a German colleague.
Jude Kirton-Darling, a Labour MEP who retained the region’s third and final seat, said voters had elected a “man who cares not for this region”.
“I think it’s the height of hypocrisy that somebody who’s standing on a platform to remove free movement from the young people of this area … actually benefits himself from free movement by living in France and commuting between London and his home in France for work,” she said.
In a notice of election, which includes all candidates’ addresses, Mr Monteith is listed as living in Trevien, a village with fewer than 200 residents, according to a 2016 census.
Mr Monteith, who was branded a “Thatcherite Scottish Tory” by Ukip’s lead northeast candidate Richard Elvin, told The Guardian it was “not unusual” to live in a country different to the one in which you are seeking election, and said he was now moving back to Britain.
In a region which strongly backed Leave in the 2016 referendum, the Brexit Party’s success there came as no surprise.
Mr Farage’s party won 240,056 votes, more than twice as many as Labour (119,931) in second and the Liberal Democrats (104,330) in third.
The Conservatives (42,395) finished in fifth, behind the Greens (49,905) and only just ahead of Ukip (38,269). Change UK (24,968) came a distant seventh.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments