The Brexiteer group LEAVE.EU founded by businessman Aaron Banks and supported by Nigel Farage, has seen its website suspended by a European Union agency after it registered in Ireland to avoid losing its .eu domain name.
The pro-Brexit pressure group moved its registration from the UK to Waterford in the Republic of Ireland shortly before the transition period between Britain and the EU expired at 11pm on Christmas Eve.
Visitors to the Leave.EU website are currently presented with the familiar error message: “The site can’t be reached.”
EURid’s website confirmed the leave.eu domain name had been registered to the campaign group’s address in Waterford, but that it was “temporarily inactive (ie website and email do not function) and under investigation”.
Leave.EU communications director Andy Wigmore insisted that the website would be back up and running soon, he warned: “Our lawyers will be taking action against those – and they know who they are – who have broken those delicious EU laws they love so much.”
Irish Fine Gael politician Neale Richmond, who has also worked as an advisor in Brussels, had written to Ireland’s communications regulator ComReg demanding an investigation be launched.
He said: “It is utterly ridiculous to think that Leave.EU could brass-plate an address in Waterford to maintain their domain name.
“They wanted to leave the EU, they have, that means they leave their domain too.
“Leave.EU are quite simply not welcome in Ireland, their questionable activities over the past number of years have brought a new level of toxic politics in the UK and beyond.
“I welcome the suspension of this domain.
“I sincerely hope this is the end of this odious website and the related traffic driven to this odious brand. Good riddance.”
Leave.EU communications director Mr Wigmore dismissed Mr Richmond as a “third-rate EU fanatic”.
He said: “Any more nonsense from Brussels-lovers like him and we may decide to put the full weight of Leave.EU behind the Irexit campaign.”
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Editor-in-Chief | Carl D. Pearson has been involved in British politics and media from an early age, with the key knowledge of what it takes to run a news organisation for the 21st century. Mr Pearson, as Editor-in-chief, is responsible for supervising the daily tasks of publishing media and content to UNN’s website and various platforms.
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