|
> Home
> News cuttings >
EU budget letter
Craven Herald - 12
March 2007
Mr JR Jones (letters March 9) castigates me in dramatic terms for taking issue with Mr A
Smith (letters February 23) about the costs of Britain’s membership of the European Union. I can only say that I am glad that neither of them is my accountant because their facts are utterly wrong.
Mr Smith claims that it costs every person in Britain £875 for our membership which Mr Jones grosses up to £50bn a year. Figures from the House of Commons Library show that the amount we paid in to the EU in 2006 was £9.48bn (allowing for the rebate won by Mrs Thatcher). But both gentlemen have entirely neglected to take into account our receipts. These totalled £5.18bn leaving a net contribution of £4.29bn or £71 per person.
The main cause of the deficit is the important (though diminishing) importance of the farm budget. Had Britain had the wisdom to join the European Union when it was first set up 50 years ago rather than remaining outside for 20 years whilst other people shaped its agendas the politics – and the budget – of the EU would be very different.
I am afraid Mr Jones has got it wrong about post office closures as well. The £150m a years Social Network Payment has been specifically approved by the European Commission under its state aid rules and if the Government wished to continue to pay it I would see not difficulty in obtaining continuing approval. The fact is the Government has decided that the network needs surgery.
As for the single market the great architect of that was Mrs Thatcher, whose statue now dominates the lobby of the House of Commons. I can remember her crying: “What we want is a real common market.” We have come a long way to achieving that (which, of course, can only function if there are common rules) though there are still some tough battles ahead.
Perhaps the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome is a fitting moment to celebrate perhaps the greatest achievement of the EU – its enlargement to 27 members from the original six. In particular the transformation of countries in eastern, central and south-eastern Europe from satellites of the Soviet Union to democratic and free members of the European Union represents the greatest peaceful re-organisation of our continent for a millennium.
This has been a steadfast goal of all serious political parties in Britain. Now we look to the EU to address the new political challenges of climate change, international terrorism and development in a global world – all matters much more realistically addressed in partnership than alone.
The really interesting thing is how the old guard is changing in Europe. Germany has a very capable new leader ; France is about to chose a new President; and Mr Blair is saying the longest of long farewells but will finally be gone in the summer. That gives Europe a chance to address these new agendas of which even Mssrs Smith and Jones might approve!
© Craven Herald
|
previous page