Since Britain joined the ‘European Economic Community’ in 1973, Parliamentarians have time and again called for a cost-benefit analysis to prove or disprove the benefits of membership; successive Conservative and Labour governments have consistently refused on the grounds that the benefits are ‘self-evident’.

Set out in the latest Bruges Group research by Gerard Batten MEP the full costs to Britain have now been calculated.

The facts:

• Britain has given nearly £200 Billion to the EU since we joined



• In 2007 UK taxpayers will be forced to pay £14.2 Billion to the EU



• The EU costs every man, woman and child £873 per year



• The EU is costing the British economy £50.6 Billion this year, by 2007 this will rise to £52.4 Billion
  



• That means that by 2007 the cost will rise to nearly £100,000 per minute
  

A challenge to the Government
If the Government believes that membership of the EU is beneficial to Britain and that we should remain a member, then let it commission an independent and impartial cost/benefit analysis so that the supposed benefits can be proved and the findings openly debated. If any of the figures contained in this document are incorrect let the Government challenge them and provide the correct figures.

The British people should be presented with the full facts and figures so that they can decide if this is what they want, and if the price is worth paying.

Gerard Batten MEP said,
"The question should not be whether we can afford to leave but how can we afford to stay in."



Robert Oulds, Director of the Bruges Group said,
"The cost per minute is an enormous sum, over the course of a year the figure is shocking. To put it into perspective just £1 billion will pay for 222,000 hip replacements, or 46,893 nurses, or 38,782 teachers, or 34,585 police officers.

"Imagine what we could do in Britain with the £50.6 billion that the EU costs us each year."

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posted by Martin | 8:27 PM

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