Half a day’s net EU contribution would clear our annual local NHS Trust deficit

Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust’s deficit this year is £10 million.

Our net EU contribution is equivalent to £23 million per day.

In other words, just half a day’s net contribution to the EU by UK taxpayers would cover the annual deficit of our local NHS Trust.

As I set out in my article on the cost of EU membership, the UK is billed the equivalent of over £50m a day by the EU. After taking into account our negotiable rebate and payments by the EU to UK farmers, regions, universities, scientists and others, we still have to pay the equivalent of £23 million every day.

The UK is one of only ten member states who contribute more than they get back. Our taxes are being spent on projects in other European countries. Too much of our money, however, is spent by the EU on itself.

For historic reasons, the European Parliament sits both in Brussels, Belgium and Strasbourg, France. The so-called ‘travelling circus’ sees Members of the European Parliament, administrative staff, translators and documents transported every year from one site to the other. It costs EU taxpayers £88 million every year.

This abuse of public funds is intolerable. As an independent country, the UK would be exempt from funding the nonsense of shifting the European Parliament between two expensive buildings.

Let’s leave and prioritise spending on our top issues, like the NHS, schools and infrastructure.

For the change we need, vote to Leave on 23 June.