Emergency debate in parliament today re Vote Leave.
MPs: this Google drive is key evidence.
Set up by VL to co-ordinate BeLeave's content. On right: the deletion log.
March 1, Electoral Commission opened investigation.
March 17, Vote Leave deleted itself from 140 files
MPs: this Google drive is key evidence.
Set up by VL to co-ordinate BeLeave's content. On right: the deletion log.
March 1, Electoral Commission opened investigation.
March 17, Vote Leave deleted itself from 140 files
Co-ordination between campaigns is illegal. Deleting evidence that may be required in an investigation is illegal. Our electoral system operates on the basis of self-reporting, compliance with the law, trust. This appears to be a cynical exploitation of that.
If proven, this would be the biggest election scandal of modern times. The biggest overspend. Our electoral laws were overhauled in 19th century to stop elections being bought. But they're now unenforceable, because: Facebook.
And if these allegations are proven, that the official Leave campaign, led by two government ministers, knowingly cheated, then what? Is a fine - the Electoral Commission's stiffest penalty - in any way proportionate? The price for undermining our entire democratic process? £20k
This was the cynical exploitation of two young, idealistic people. Here's Darren - the founder of the entirely independent & separate BeLeave campaign - wearing his Vote Leave badge in Vote Leave's headquarters. 
And here he is again with Shahmir. In their Vote Leave sweatshirts delivering Vote Leave leaflets days before the referendum. Remember these are the masterminds behind the entirely separate BeLeave campaign. Who oversaw a £675k spend. Which never touched their bank account.
"Everyone knew who we were," says Shahmir. "Michael Gove knew Darren. Boris Johnson knew Darren. Everyone knew who BeLeave were and how important we'd been to the campaign."
This is Vote Leave’s lawyer & head of compliance advising Shahmir on how to set up BeLeave bank account
And here are Theresa May’s advisers Stephen Parkinson & Cleo Watson helping BeLeave set up their constituition
And this may be the document that I find most appalling. Theresa May’s adviser tells Vote Leave’s lawyer ‘Darren & rest of the group (18-22) don’t feel comfortable handling the money side of things’
And here’s a Vote Leave senior director instructing Darren what to tell press re donations.
