Who runs the UK and what does Europe cost us
Discussion
The EU cost to UK in net contributions 1997-2005: £32,600,000,000
The UK's trade deficit with the EU 1999-2005: £80,700,000,000
Currently the UK pays far more to the EU than we get back: £6 billion / year
£6 billion equates to £100 per person per year subsidy.
Total payments (not net) now amount to £1000 per person per year.
The UK's trade deficit with the EU 1999-2005: £80,700,000,000
Currently the UK pays far more to the EU than we get back: £6 billion / year
£6 billion equates to £100 per person per year subsidy.
Total payments (not net) now amount to £1000 per person per year.
Jasandjules said:
srebbe64 said:
I used to provide consultancy for the European commission - I could tell you about waste that would make your teeth curl! You really couldn't make it up!
Given that the accounts won't be signed off for about the 11th year running, I have no doubt.... I am 34 and I have never been asked to vote on Europe, I want to the UK to vote on staying in, I bet given all the waste, expense, stupid laws and general troughing by the eurocrats the vote would be a resounding WE WANT OUT.
Then of course, like the Irish we would be subject to massive amounts of propaganda and a re-vote just to make sure we really meant it, if that came up with the same result then they might listen but I would not count on it.
They need us more than we need them.
Then of course, like the Irish we would be subject to massive amounts of propaganda and a re-vote just to make sure we really meant it, if that came up with the same result then they might listen but I would not count on it.
They need us more than we need them.
- A lot of them are bloody rebadged communists anyway peddling the same message as before but realigned with the current gravy train of the USSE*
I was 23 - we had the right attitude. This is one area where Cameron should be going to war. Corruption and waste are intolerable. Fukkwit (AKA Brown) has been totally ineffectual.
I'm guessing some of the younger PHers don't remember this - I think I was 14 at the time, and certainly remember
Puggit said:
Gunny Sergeant D said:
Bring back - Up Yours Delors.
Glad to oblige:I'm guessing some of the younger PHers don't remember this - I think I was 14 at the time, and certainly remember
Edited by Gunny Sergeant D on Sunday 1st February 18:54
turbobloke said:
The EU cost to UK in net contributions 1997-2005: £32,600,000,000
The UK's trade deficit with the EU 1999-2005: £80,700,000,000
Currently the UK pays far more to the EU than we get back: £6 billion / year
£6 billion equates to £100 per person per year subsidy.
Total payments (not net) now amount to £1000 per person per year.
I thought the UK got an annual rebate (demanded and arranged by Maggie) in recognition that even with the rebate the UK is still nett contributors to the EU coffers, or was that one of the things smiling Tony managed to give away and keep it quiet The UK's trade deficit with the EU 1999-2005: £80,700,000,000
Currently the UK pays far more to the EU than we get back: £6 billion / year
£6 billion equates to £100 per person per year subsidy.
Total payments (not net) now amount to £1000 per person per year.
AJS- said:
Definitely better off out of the whole mess.
It's a bit silly to include the trade deficit with the rest of the EU as part of the cost though. Not related.
It maybe not directly relevant to our costs as shown. Although being forced to buy from the EU rather than the commonwealth may be bolstering that deficit a little. As a country we have more in common and owe a greater debt to the commonwealth than some socialist franco/prussian European super state. The EU is and has particularly under the stewardship of the last trade minister alienated countries such as NZ to benefit of the 'greater EU'.It's a bit silly to include the trade deficit with the rest of the EU as part of the cost though. Not related.
I strongly suspect if we left and EU embargoes followed then I think it fair to say the EU needs the UK with its money and trade more than we need it. The embargo/trade war would be short term spitefulness driven mainly by Frnace but long term normal trade would establish, they could afford not to sell us their wine alone
. Lets pull up the draw bridge and re stimulate trade with the commonwealth, we would be better off by a long margin.
vote #1
turbobloke said:
HarryW - I'm fairly sure Tony negotiated that rebate away in return for...not sure, maybe he was thinking of EU President BLiar.
Quite right - Blair gave it away for nothing in returnHe tried to negotiate a change to the way the French milk the common agricultural system, but failed - they only agreed to look at changes, rather than make changes.
Twunt
We managed to trade with Europe perfectly well for 1,000 years before the ECC/EU was invented. Better still, we could change the rules to suit ourselves.
What boils my piss is the spineless politicians who say 'Oh well it's inevitable so we may as well do it anyway'
Bring back Maggie.
What boils my piss is the spineless politicians who say 'Oh well it's inevitable so we may as well do it anyway'
Bring back Maggie.
HarryW said:
I strongly suspect if we left and EU embargoes followed then I think it fair to say the EU needs the UK with its money and trade more than we need it. The embargo/trade war would be short term spitefulness driven mainly by Frnace but long term normal trade would establish, they could afford not to sell us their wine alone .
Lets pull up the draw bridge and re stimulate trade with the commonwealth, we would be better off by a long margin.
vote #1
I don't see why we need a trade war/embargo. Iceland, Norway and Switzerland are outside the EU and have free trade through EFTA, as I understand it. I believe Switzerland is even part of Shengen.. Lets pull up the draw bridge and re stimulate trade with the commonwealth, we would be better off by a long margin.
vote #1
IF it was down to me, free trade isn't rocket science and we'd be best just to drop our trade tarrifs and trade with who we want. If other countries reciprocate then great, it not, it still doesn't benefit us to tax imports.
I don't really see much point in specifically attempting to re-stimulate trade with the commonwealth. You have to go past every place in the world to get to New Zealand and there are plenty of good places to buy stuff from and sell things to inbetween. I do agree that we have treated them pretty shoddily about the whole common market thing though.
I used to be very into the Eurosceptic thing. The sad fact is now that on most measures Britain is a worse place to be than lots of European countries, and it's not only because of the current government, but the muppets who vote for them. As things stand currently I value the ability to live in other EU countries higher than the unfettered right of our government to make laws on their own. In some ways I even appreciate the fact that the EU provides some brake on our own government. Gordon Brown would be a prime candidate for knee jerk protectionism if he had power over trade policy for instance.
Leave the EU, yes. But only once we are ready to do something better.
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