In the coming weeks, the government will announce public spending cuts in order to deal with the deficit. All the talk will be of tough spending decisions. So why are we about to approve an increase in the UK contribution to the EU budget?
This Wednesday, the House of Commons will be debating and voting on a motion to approve an inflation-busting rise in the amount we pay to Brussels. In other words, while we make spending cuts to public services, some of the money clawed back will then be soaked up by the EU (despite all the warning signs).
Effectively, despite a decade of European budgets so poorly run they couldn't be signed off, we're not merely ring-fencing the EU budget from cuts. We are significantly increasing it. How can this be right?
If you agree with me, you might consider getting in touch with your MP, as I have with mine.