Farage slams Cameron over EU budget deal

The United Kingdom Independence Party leader Nigel Farage has slammed David Cameron for his "self-congratulatory pomp" in Parliament on Monday over his "supposed victory" of the EU budget. The Prime Minister admitted to the Commons that the UK net contribution would rise due to the former Government's decision under Tony Blair to give up half of the UK rebate. This means the UK no longer gets returns on spending on cohesion policy and structural funds meaning contributions end up rising year on year.

Nigel Farage said: "Mr Cameron may have called this a 'good deal for Britain, a good deal for Europe and a good deal for taxpayers' but in fact it's a great deal more money coming out of Britain and into Brussels' central coffers. In reality the UK is the only member state whose contributions to the EU will increase, in spite of the budget cut. So what Mr Cameron hails as a victory is in reality far from it. It will be interesting now to see how Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative MEPs will vote when the proposed budget is put in front of Parliament for approval." 

Yesterday it was confirmed in the Commons that the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats would be voting for the agreement in the European Parliament. Despite Ed Miliband saying he welcomed the deal he was asked on numerous occasions by David Cameron how would Labour MEPs vote Mr Miliband didn't answer.