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New defeat means British taxpayers must pay an extra £770m in 'unjustified' EU contributions
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 2013-05-14 |
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