It is understood that UKIP’s Nathan Gill has made enquiries about the process of stepping down as an AM. Speculation is rife that the AM has resigned from his post at the Welsh Assembly although it has not been confirmed by the office of Nathan Gill.
He is a Member of the European Parliament for the Wales region for the UK Independence Party (UKIP), elected in 2014 and since 2016 he has also been an independent Member of the National Assembly for Wales.
Nathan Gill and Neil Hamilton have locked horns publicly for some time. We contacted Neil Hamilton to get his views on speculation that Gill had resigned. Mr Hamilton declined to comment. We contacted Michelle brown of UKIP in North Wales.
We attempted to put the claims of some local UKIP members to UKIP’s North Wales AM Michelle Brown, which suggest that any resignation as AM by Nathan Gill may be ‘financially motivated’ given that he would not qualify for the package of at least £157,000 as a ‘golden goodbye’ offered to MEP’s when the U.K. leaves the EU if he remains as an AM. The other benefits include a generous pay off pension and health cover. Mrs brown was also unavailable for comment.
Details of MEP’s pay offs made national news back in April as this article from the Guardian highlights. The package includes a “transitional allowance” of at least £39,000. The value of the payment increases with length of time in post. Some MEP’s may have a second European parliament pension scheme, which is expected to pay out up to £41,000 a year. Departing MEPs receiving the transitional allowance or drawing their pension are entitled to reimbursement of two-thirds of all their private medical expenses, and those of their spouse or long-term partner, and children up to the age of 21. MEPs leaving the European Parliament at the end of June are also entitled to half of their general expenditure budget for the next three months after their departure, a lump sum of £5,300. MEP’s also get a relocation budget, which pays for up to 15 removal boxes to be delivered to the member’s home country.
