UK’s payouts to EU rise thanks to Blair
THE EU will spend a record £110billion in 2010, a six per cent increase on this year.
As much as half the cash will subsidise farmers in countries including France.
And Britain’s input will soar – rising by almost 60 per cent to £6.4billion next year.
This extra drain on taxpayers is because of a deal Tony Blair made in 2005 giving up much of Britain’s “rebate” in return for reform of the wasteful Common Agricultural Policy.
France has blocked attempts to reform the CAP – but Britain still has to pay extra.
Big EU sums are also set to go on extra aid for former Warsaw Pact countries in Eastern Europe.