Outrage as fundraising website JustGiving refuses to waive administration fee for PC Keith Palmer appeal
A FUNDRAISING website hosting the campaign for murdered PC Keith Palmer has been slammed for refusing to waive its huge administration fee.
JustGiving is likely to receive around £30,000 from Mr Palmer’s fund, which stood at more than £673,000 last night.
There had been calls for the firm to scrap its 5p levy of every pound donated to the policeman’s fund by generous well-wishers.
But JustGiving said it would not be waiving its fee on Mr Palmer’s fund because it already made a £10,000 donation when the campaign started.
The move has sparked uproar, with the Metropolitan Police Federation saying it was “not happy” the cash was not going to Mr Palmer’s family.
A spokesman said: “The unfortunate thing is that they are a business and there is no other way of doing it other than asking people to go to bank and pay the money in over the counter.”
Lord Paddick, a Liberal Democrat peer and former police officer, also waded in on the row.
He said: “Bearing in mind the bravery of the officer — an unarmed man tackling a violent knifeman leaving a distraught family behind — surely JustGiving can in these exceptional circumstances waive their fee?”
JustGiving defended its decision last night, saying it was “proud” that its community moved to support victims in the face of terror.
But it still refused to budge.
A spokesman said: “As with all our appeal pages, we take a small charge on donations, which enables us to provide the most robust and always-on platform that can handle high levels of traffic and meet the highest international security standards.
“This enables our users to raise more money, from all over the world, when it is needed most.”