Many people still think of the UK’s contribution to the EU as a small sum. But under the 2007-13 financial perspective the UK’s contribution, after the reduced rebate, will be £10.2 billion a year.
To put the scale of this expenditure into context, this money could alternatively be used to:
- Cut council tax by nearly 50%:
- Build 40 brand new general hospitals each year
- Employ an extra 320,000 nurses each year
- Cut the main rate of corporation tax by 11p
- Cut the basic rate of income tax by 3p
- Raise the inheritance threshold from £300,000 to £2,925,000
- Raise the income tax personal allowance by £2000
- Cut petrol duty by 75%
- Pay the total bill for the London Olympics in less than one year.
http://www.openeurope.org.uk/research/budget07.pdf