Downing Street Says » EU Rebate

» Tuesday, December 13, 2005

EU Rebate

The Prime Minister’s Official Spokesman (PMOS) told journalists that we would be publishing a revised version of our proposals tomorrow morning.

Put to him that if the Government conceded some of the UK’s rebate in return for a mid-term review, with no concrete promise of reform of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), it would be seen as one of the biggest climb-downs of all time, the PMOS said that first and foremost we had not given up and would not give up any part of the rebate that went towards the CAP, in any country. Neither would we give up any part of the rebate which came from the original 15 member states. That would not change.

We had only forgone that part of the rebate which went towards helping the Accession countries build their infrastructure. That remained our approach because we believed it to be in the interests, not only of Europe, but more particularly of the United Kingdom, that the Accession states became prosperous as quickly as possible. If you looked at the experience of the previous countries who had joined the EU, our trade with them had grown enormously. Asked if we were saying on the rebate: ‘This far and no further’, the PMOS said that what we had done was set out the principles on how we had acted.

2 Comments »

This is a sell out Tones – and you have broken your word yet again.
And how will poor Gordie, now he has admitted his mathematical errors in forecasting get by without yet another billion – raid the pension funds again?
Comment by roger — 15 Dec 2005 on 6:51 pm | Link
Of course it is; and of course he has. You should know by now that the property of the country at large is really the personal plaything of the incumbent PM, to be used or not, as and when necessary, to save his reputation and/or standing, when he sees fit. Or not. And promises are there to be broken, especially by the person who made them in the first place!
Comment by PapaLazzzaru — 16 Dec 2005 on 7:07 pm | Link

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