The British taxpayer is spending 60pc more on the EU

Last month I noted that the Tories wouldn't just protect the Health Service and overseas development from spending cuts but also Britain's EU contribution. Courtesy of the News of the World we learn that that commitment just got a lot more expensive: "Britain's contributions to Brussels will rocket by 60 per cent next year, meaning every household will pay the EU £257. Documents slipped out by the Treasury reveal we will fork out £6.4 billion in 2010-11, compared to £4.1 billion in 2009-10. And it means Britain will be the second biggest contributor, behind Germany. Much of the increase is down to the reduction in the rebate won by Margaret Thatcher in 1984. It made up for the huge proportion of the EU budget that went on the Common Agricultural Policy, which benefited Britain less than other countries. Tony Blair and Gordon Brown surrendered a big chunk of the rebate in 2005, making it worth just £3.3 billion in 2010, compared to £5.1 billion this year."