Cost of EU membership is "beneficial" - Of course it is!

Ever since the UK joined what was the Common Market, now the European Union, requests for a cost/benefit analysis have been refused by successive governments on the basis that the benefits were 'self-explanatory' and 'obvious'.

On 25th November, in the House of Lords, Lord Stoddart of Swindon asked the following question:

"To ask Her Majesty's Government what are the accumulated deficits or surpluses in the United Kingdom's trade with the other European Union countries between 2000 and 2009 in (a) manufactured goods, (b) services, and (c) goods and services."

Lord Taylor of Holbeach stated that "The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply" - and proceeded to read out a letter from Stephen Penneck, Director General for ONS.

"The cumulative trade deficit for total goods with the European Union member states over the period 2000 to 2009 was £283.4 billion. Within this, the cumulative trade deficit for total manufactured goods with the European Union member states over the period 2000 to 2009 was £279.7 billion. The cumulative trade surplus for services with the European Union member states over the period 2000 to 2009 was £23.2 billion. The cumulative trade deficit for goods and services with the European Union member states over the period 2000 to 2009 was £260.2 billion."

Utilising the link above, access to a table can be found, one provided by the ONS from which it will be seen that, within the years 2000 and 2009, every year has produced a deficit in Balance of Goods and Services with EU27.

So for a cumulative deficit of £260.2billion, the UK has conceded our parliamentary democracy, common law, right to legislate and the ability to preserve it. Surely logic dictates that were we to leave the European Union - trade with the Commonwealth and the rest of the World - we could do far better than a cumulative deficit of £260.2billion!

Of course there are those who will not agree - like David Woodhead of Leatherhead (his location perhaps being indicative of his attitude) - but hey ho, each to their own point of view, mistaken though it may be.

For someone who is elected to ensure that the UK is sensibly governed and remains solvent, one has to ask: "Well, Mr. Cameron - you're response is?"


H/T: Your Freedom and Ours