Every councillor in UK gets email encouraging them to campaign for EU spending freeze

By Tim Montgomerie

Local government is being cut but the EU is getting more money from the British taxpayer.

Medway councillors recently passed a motion urging their local MPs to vote against any increase in the EU budget.

Overnight all councillors in the UK received an email from John Cryer MP (Labour), author Frederick Forsyth, Dan Hannan MEP (Conservative) and Jenny Jones AM (Green) urging them to pass a similar motion.

Their letter stated:

"It is extraordinary, at a time when every local council is facing cuts, that Britain's net contribution to the EU budget should be rising by 60% over two years. When local and national governments around the EU are making economies, the Brussels institutions should not be exempt. Labour, Conservative and Liberal Democrat councillors in Medway have just passed a motion urging their three local MPs to oppose any increase in the EU budget. We hope you will urge your council to move a similar resolution. If you are interested in tabling such a motion, please email us at [email protected] or visit www.directdemocracyuk.com."

A great initiative.

THE TEXT OF MEDWAY COUNCIL’S RESOLUTION, UNANIMOUSLY ADOPTED ON 13 JANUARY

The Council notes, with indignation, that whilst Medway is facing a massive 11.9% reduction in its financial settlement in 2011/12, the UK ‘s contribution to the European Union (EU) is set to rise by 60% over two years. This Council notes that, despite the opposition of some Conservative MPs, and Labour and Conservative MEPs, it is likely that the government will agree to a further 2.9% increase in the overall EU budget.

This Council believes the EU should be treated the same as the other tiers of government and in these austere times should share responsibility, along with central and local government, for public spending reductions.  Sharing the burden would result in less severe cuts for local authorities, and give more assistance to councils to protect front line services. This Council therefore urges Medway’s three MPs not to support an increase in the EU budget.