Conservative candidate charity money missing
By Sasjkia Otto
A charity run by Shaun Bailey, the Conservative candidate Hammersmith and Shepherds’ Bush in west London, could be investigated by the Charity Commission after it was discovered £16,000 was missing from its accounts.
My Generation, which runs community projects for young people, spent £201,859 in the financial year 2008/09. However, it was unable to provide receipts for £15,952 of its spending, according to the commission.
Mr Bailey told Third Sector a magazine on the charity sector, the discrepancy arose when the charity changed accountants and the old accountants did not pass on all the receipts to the new accountants.
“As soon as the paper trail is clarified, the complete 2008/9 accounts will be re-submitted so that everything is clear,” he said. “The charity’s accountants are waiting to see what information can be recovered and then will provide an explanation to the Charity Commission.”
A Charity Commission spokesman said: “We are assessing this issue in line with normal procedure in order to determine what role, if any, there may be for us.”
Hammersmith and Shepherds’ Bush isone of three new constituencies created from the former seats of Hammersmith and Fulham, and Kensington and Chelsea.
Mr Bailey is expected to do well as Labour-favourable boundary changes appear unlikely to outweigh the effects of the party’s current unpopularity.
