UKIP MEP Discloses How Much The UK Pays To The EU Each Day - And It's Scandalous!

A few days ago I wrote about how much the UK pays just to belong to the EU, and I stated that I would try to find out more about the actual sums involved and what we get out of it.  Well, today in the Daily Express, Gerard Batten who is a UKIP MEP for London has given us just such information.  He states that since he became an MEP in 2004, he has tried to unravel just how much the EU costs Britain and what the benefits are, if any.  The outcome is truly horrendous, we pay £77 billion a year, costing each and every one of us, men, women and children, £1,246. Direct and indirect payments, minus the UK rebate are £147,000 per minute!!!.   In 2000-2006 our net contribution was £21.3 billion, whilst the current budget, ending in 2013 will probably cost the British taxpayer around £42 billion.  Mr Batten’s findings showed that in the budget to 2006, £80 billion was handed over to the EU and we received just under £59 billion in rebate.  The UK was the largest net contributor after Germany.  Mr Batten says in the Daily Express “Much of this money is wasted with little accountability and little say for the taxpayers.”  In the same article a European Commission spokeswoman said “The UK contributes to the EU budget, like any other member state.  But it equally enjoys the benefit of EU membership, most of which are difficult to quantify in cash.  There are things like living in peace, security and democracy in the largest single market of the world, with many cross-border benefits when travelling, studying, using mobile phones, etc.”  (Democracy? The European Commission, the people in charge of the policy-making cannot be voted in or out by the people of the member states!).  In other words, uncontrolled immigration, the chance to trade and nothing else.  However, the article by Mr Batten also reveals that since 1973, Britain has accumulated a massive £438 billion trade deficit with the EU countries.  In spite of belonging to the EU, we sell mostly to the US and the English speaking world.  EU countries sell more to the UK than we sell to them.  He states “If we left the EU tomorrow, they would still continue to trade with us.”  Mr Batten challenges the coalition to prove that being a member of the EU is beneficial to the UK by commissioning an independent cost-benefit analysis.  I don’t think we should hold our breaths on whether they will take up the challenge, do you!

Also see http://www.gerardbattenmep.co.uk/