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EU misspent £5.5bn of taxpayers' cash as budget goes ANOTHER year without being signed off; THE European Union has misspent ?5.5billion of taxpayers' money just weeks after demanding Britain cough up a bill for an ext
Topic Started: Nov 5 2014, 11:32 AM (97 Views)
Boxter
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http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/531731/EU-European-Union-Britain-taxpayerCritics have slammed Brussels for "breathtaking hypocrisy" after it was revealed EU spending has gone yet another year without officially being signed off.

It marks the 19th year in a row that auditors have not given the green light to Brussels accounts. Auditors said "more can and should be done to ensure money is spent according to rules" after it was found ?109bn out of a total of ?117bn spent by the EU last year was "affected by material error."

According to the annual European Court of Auditors report, seen by The Telegraph, ?5.5bn of the EU budget was misspent because experts deemed spending controls to be "only partially effective."
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David Cameron has bluntly refused to pay the £1.7bn EU bill

It is breathtaking hypocrisy at a time when they cannot even run their own affairs

Conservative MP for Wellingborough, Peter Bone

Amongst the money wasted was cash used to buy helicopters to help Spain defend Europe’s borders against entry by illegal immigrants. The helicopters were "only used 25 per cent of the time for this purpose" the report stated.

Social development in Moldova also received ?1.4million in funding, however "no underlying expenditure had been incurred."

The details of Brussels misspending comes after Prime Minister David Cameron has flatly refused to cough up the eye-watering surcharge by December 1, which would take Britain's total annual contribution to EU coffers to ?8.6bn.

Peter Bone, the Tory MP for Wellingborough, told the newspaper: “They (the EU) need to put their house in order before making these ridiculous demands of the British people. It is breathtaking hypocrisy at a time when they cannot even run their own affairs."

Mr Cameron has slammed the "completely unacceptable" bill, which he warned will reduce the chances of Britain staying in the EU. Britain was told they needed to pay more cash because the UK economy had performed better than forecast between 1995 and 2013.

The EU bill amounts to 965 for each family in the UK.

EU chiefs have threatened to enforce late payment charges with an annual 52 per cent interest – the equivalent to ?823 million – if the payment is not received in full by the deadline.

Brussels sources suggested a deal could be brokered to allow Britain more time to ­settle the shock rise in the UK’s annual contribution.

However, Tory backbenchers warned Mr Cameron could face a damaging rebellion if he accepts a deal that would still lead to extra funds going to EU bureaucrats.

The UK was hit by the bill on the same day that France and Germany learned they would get a rebate of ?800million and ?790million because their economies had under-performed.
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RJD
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I think the truth is that the EU budget needs to be reeled back to that agreed between heads of Governments before any haggle over changes in contributions. We cannot have a situation where MEPs pump up budgets with impunity and then expect us to just cough up. Cameron should state exactly what was agreed with Merkel et al and say he is not prepared to pay a Penny more as there is enormous scope within existing budgets to make savings. It is impertinent to ignore demands then say by the way not only do we not give a Monkeys what you and Merkel think you have to cough up whatever we demand. I wonder what Joe Public would say about this?
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Boxter
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The EU is a money furnace. The more we are forced to put in of cash we clearly don't have in the first place the more impoverished we will make ourselves and even our grandkids who have to pay it back.

The remote unelected EU mandarins dont appear to have the words responsibility or frugality in their lexicon. The concepts are alien to them. They make grandiose plans and the rest of us peasants are merely there to provide the funds come what may. If billions of our cash disappears in massive fraud what of it there plenty more where that came from or so they think!

Well the people have had it with their lofty profligate arrogance and the name is UKIP
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RJD
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Boxter
Nov 5 2014, 03:36 PM
The EU is a money furnace. The more we are forced to put in of cash we clearly don't have in the first place the more impoverished we will make ourselves and even our grandkids who have to pay it back.

The remote unelected EU mandarins dont appear to have the words responsibility or frugality in their lexicon. The concepts are alien to them. They make grandiose plans and the rest of us peasants are merely there to provide the funds come what may. If billions of our cash disappears in massive fraud what of it there plenty more where that came from or so they think!

Well the people have had it with their lofty profligate arrogance and the name is UKIP
Whether it is that way or no, it certainly looks as if it is. Demanding others are frugal and being the opposite oneself is sort of unacceptable.
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Boxter
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Quote:
 
Whether it is that way or no, it certainly looks as if it is. Demanding others are frugal and being the opposite oneself is sort of unacceptable.


Unacceptable I would say "unforgivable" This isnt the middle ages when the aristocracy could get away with treating the serfs like this but its the modern equivalent and it WILL be stopped!
Edited by Boxter, Nov 5 2014, 04:06 PM.
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ACH1967
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Yes those nasty foreign MEP's ripping us off. I much prefer to be ripped off by british MP's.

Did you not see the graph in the other thread that where tigger pointed out the size of our contributions to europe in relationship to our other costs...insignificant.

The latest report on the cost of immigration is favourable to european immigrants and not favourable non european immigrants. Banging on about europe is merely a tactic to distract from the real issue, low wages because of low skills.
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Heinrich
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ACH1967
Nov 5 2014, 04:13 PM
Yes those nasty foreign MEP's ripping us off. I much prefer to be ripped off by british MP's.

Did you not see the graph in the other thread that where tigger pointed out the size of our contributions to europe in relationship to our other costs...insignificant.

The latest report on the cost of immigration is favourable to european immigrants and not favourable non european immigrants. Banging on about europe is merely a tactic to distract from the real issue, low wages because of low skills.
Yes, ACH1967, you have put it in a nutshell.
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AndyK
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ACH1967
Nov 5 2014, 04:13 PM
Yes those nasty foreign MEP's ripping us off. I much prefer to be ripped off by british MP's.

Did you not see the graph in the other thread that where tigger pointed out the size of our contributions to europe in relationship to our other costs...insignificant.

The latest report on the cost of immigration is favourable to european immigrants and not favourable non european immigrants. Banging on about europe is merely a tactic to distract from the real issue, low wages because of low skills.
I wouldn't call £17bn insignificant.

Its 17% of the deficit.
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Boxter
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The EU immigrants it made the headlines to refer to are highly educated and well skilled individuals and that is not a problem. The real problem are the hoardes of unskilled uneducated who have been led to believe this country is shangrila and an easy touch. Why do you think they dont stop in a single other EU country until they get here. Its as the Mayor of Calais admitted. Its as if they see the words soft touch stamped on our foreheads.

Our country is fast becoming the miost densley populated country in the EU and our infrastructure is way past even playing catchup with whats here already.
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Steve K
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Boxter
Nov 5 2014, 11:32 AM
err no

And the explanation for that article is it's in the Express. A pornographer's rag whose ability to post bollocks and pretend it's serious is unrivalled in the UK.

Have some facts: https://fullfact.org/factchecks/has_eu_budget_rejected_auditors_18_years-28593

"Moreover, the EU Budget has not been “rejected” or “refused” by the auditors – its payments have been consistently found subject to significant error for the past 18 years. This is hardly good news, but it isn’t as serious as some headlines imply."
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Heinrich
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Boxter
Nov 5 2014, 07:28 PM
... hoardes of unskilled uneducated ...
Please! Keep the xenophobic street language off the board. Thanks.
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Affa
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Not sure the figures are up to date, but iirc the EU budget is approx 4% of the total EU GDP.
Compare to the USA where the Federal budget is some 40% of US GDP.

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Boxter
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Quote:
 
Quote:
 
.. hoardes of unskilled uneducated
Please! Keep the xenophobic street language off the board. Thanks.


Oops I should have used SWAMPED but then Nigel stated that was not diplomatic language !!
Edited by Boxter, Nov 6 2014, 12:01 AM.
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Rich
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Boxter
Nov 5 2014, 04:02 PM
Quote:
 
Whether it is that way or no, it certainly looks as if it is. Demanding others are frugal and being the opposite oneself is sort of unacceptable.


Unacceptable I would say "unforgivable" This isnt the middle ages when the aristocracy could get away with treating the serfs like this but its the modern equivalent and it WILL be stopped!


The expenses of MEP's amount to more than I earn in a year let alone their wages and perks and that is probably why they need the extra dosh to maintain their yearly wage rise which we will no doubt hear about in the new year.
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RJD
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Affa
Nov 5 2014, 10:23 PM
Not sure the figures are up to date, but iirc the EU budget is approx 4% of the total EU GDP.
Compare to the USA where the Federal budget is some 40% of US GDP.

Apple's, pears and mangolwurzels.
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