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| Britain |
| New defeat means British taxpayers must pay an extra £770m in 'unjustified' EU contributions |
| 2013-05-14 |
| The setback for the Prime Minister will add to Conservative turmoil over the question of EU membership as well as putting pressure on Labour and the Liberal Democrats to back a referendum on Europe. Cash-strapped European governments must now find an additional £6.2 billion for the Brussels budget, a 5.5 per cent increase, at a time of deep cuts to national public spending and EU-imposed austerity in the eurozone. The raid to pay unpaid bills and to meet a budget shortfall will take Britain's contributions to £14.7 billion this year, meaning that the cost to average British household of belonging to the EU will be £581. "When countries and citizens across Europe are having to make difficult decisions with their budgets, Europe itself should practice what it preaches with its own budget," said a Treasury spokesman. "This amendment was unjustified, which is why Britain opposed it." |
| Posted by:tipper |
| #1 |
| Posted by: AlanC 2013-05-14 15:38 |