Ashley Mote, new MEP for the South-East, has vigorously denied criminal charges relating to an alleged housing benefit fraud that has cost him membership of the UK Independence Party.

Mr Mote, of Knowle, Fareham, had his party whip withdrawn after it emerged that the day after the European elections, on June 10th, he faced Chichester Crown Court charged with nine counts of false accounting and one of making a false representation.

Mr Mote, one of two UKIP MEPs elected to Strasbourg, doubling the party's standing in the region, denied the charges, brought by the Department of Work and Pensions. "All I can say is that when this is all over, I will have a great deal to say." A provisional trial date has been set for November 15th.

He was disowned by the party when they learnt of the charges, but he retains an independent seat in the European Parliament.

A UKIP spokesman said: "Ashley Mote has been suspended pending an internal disciplinary enquiry. We took the view he should have told us. We sent everyone to Europe to stop corruption and we find he's up on a charge of it."

When contacted, Mr Mote said: "I have been elected to do a job and fully intend to carry on doing it. I have been working extensively on the serious question of European fraud and corruption and continue to pursue that vigorously.