The Prime Minster, David Cameron, had hoped to negotiate with European counterparts, at worst, a freeze to the budget - at best, he hoped for a cut. Today's agreement represents a cut as EU spending cannot rise above €908 billion - €24billion less than if there had been a freeze on the last completed EU budget. But the Prime Minister also hoped for a budget which would stimulate growth in Europe in a way which was affordable. The share of the budget grant to Common Agricultural Policy has been reduced whilst this budget the Prime Minister claims will encourage research and development and help the EU's newest members make up for lost decades under communism.
The Prime Minister said of the agreement, "Today's deal means countries can properly plan spending whilst restricting the costs borne by the European taxpayer. It shows that working with allies, it is possible to take steps towards reform in the European Union. As I said in my recent speech, this is the way to get a good deal for Britain and a good deal for Europe too. And that is what we have delivered today."
Commenting for the Labour party, the Shadow Foreign Secretary, Douglas Alexander MP said: "We welcome news that a deal has been reached. Failing to agree one could have seen next year's budget go up automatically. Labour voted in November to give David Cameron a clear mandate to negotiate for a real terms cut, and so we welcome the reports indicating the policy we advocated has been agreed. It seemed at times that David Cameron was ready to throw in the towel and aim for a freeze, but today's deal proves that a cut was worth voting for in Westminster and worth negotiating for in Brussels."
Shadow Chancellor, Ed Balls said: “At a time when taxes are being raised and services cut at home it cannot be right that the EU Budget should rise in line with inflation. We will need to look very closely at the detail in the coming days and weeks, but if today’s deal does result in a genuine real terms cut in the EU Budget then the Prime Minister will have delivered what Labour and Parliament demanded.”
But in a controversial move by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz is trying to ensure MEPs will be given a secret ballot on the newly negotiated EU budget. Mr Schulz, who has openly opposed the conclusions from the EU Council summit of European leaders, even threatening to veto the final decision, announced the plan with Joseph Daul, leader of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) the largest group in the European Parliament. It is now up to MEPs to pass the measures decided at the summit in Brussels, with many fearing a majority of MEPs would oppose a cut to the EU budget.
Speaking in Brussels Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, said: "This is a dark, dark day for democracy. It's utterly staggering. Making this a secret ballot removes all accountability from the feckless MEPs who will willfully vote down the plans to cut the EU budget, despite the widely held belief that cuts to EU spending is essential. It is disgusting that in order to guarantee more votes to reject the budget cut, Mr Schulz is providing MEPs with a cloak of deception which means the very people who voted them in will not be able to challenge them over their position. The man is a disgrace to his office. I call upon all MEPs whatever their leaning to reject this call and defend the right to democracy that the peoples of Europe have shed so much blood to create."
But in a controversial move by the President of the European Parliament, Martin Schulz is trying to ensure MEPs will be given a secret ballot on the newly negotiated EU budget. Mr Schulz, who has openly opposed the conclusions from the EU Council summit of European leaders, even threatening to veto the final decision, announced the plan with Joseph Daul, leader of the centre-right European People's Party (EPP) the largest group in the European Parliament. It is now up to MEPs to pass the measures decided at the summit in Brussels, with many fearing a majority of MEPs would oppose a cut to the EU budget.
Speaking in Brussels Nigel Farage, the leader of the United Kingdom Independence Party, said: "This is a dark, dark day for democracy. It's utterly staggering. Making this a secret ballot removes all accountability from the feckless MEPs who will willfully vote down the plans to cut the EU budget, despite the widely held belief that cuts to EU spending is essential. It is disgusting that in order to guarantee more votes to reject the budget cut, Mr Schulz is providing MEPs with a cloak of deception which means the very people who voted them in will not be able to challenge them over their position. The man is a disgrace to his office. I call upon all MEPs whatever their leaning to reject this call and defend the right to democracy that the peoples of Europe have shed so much blood to create."
