Let's clear up the confusion about the outrageous tab for the EU. I know it involves a little bit of maths and few of us love maths, but bear with me it's very straightforward. (The figures are huge so I've rounded them).
- A) Amount we hand over to the EU every year £350 million per week £18.2 billion per year.
- B) Rebate won by Mrs Thatcher in the 80's (Always demanded back by EU) £6 billion per year.
- C) Amount EU says it returns to us for farmers and other UK science, education etc projects. £6.7 billion per year.
- D) Net payment to EU from UK, (what we give minus everything we get back) £5.5 billion per year or £106 million per week.
£5,500,000,000.00 free extra money every year, plus control of our own laws, borders and trade.
Huzzah. Not too shabby I'd say.
That means even if we keep funding every EU project, both valuable and ludicrous, channelling the same cash into science, farming and education that the left keep screaming will be lost, we will still be up by £106 million pounds every week. It is also indisputable that the figure would continue going up, indeed by the time we leave in 2019 the gross figure (A) is predicted to rise from £350 million to £375 million per week. It is also beyond doubt that the excesses including private jets for Jean Claude and the lack of accountability (no one can remember when the last auditor stated the EU accounts were true and accurate) are scandalous and show no sign of improving.
What Boris said and why
What Boris carefully stated was that the UK could take back control of the £350 million and he is correct. We could choose to spend that money differently. The £106 million is undisputed extra money the £244 million could if so prioritised, go into hospitals at the expense of farmers and scientists for example.
So Boris was correct! But why begin the debate again? Possibly it was a trap for fools and plenty rushed in where angels feared to tread. Unless Sir David Norgrove, Head of the UK Statistics Authority, has evidence of The Foreign Secretary saying something far more damning than has come out to this point he should consider resigning.
He is a public servant and in that role should not try to influence political issues. He jumped on an issue apparently incorrectly and demonstrated his support for Remain, as too many public servants have done and continue to do - Mark Carney Head of the Bank of England leaps to mind.
Perhaps Boris wanted to influence the type of Brexit we end up with. Amber Rudd and Phillip Hammond seem to be urging a capitulating Brexit that risks betraying democracy. Boris may have wished to stiffen Mrs May's resolve. Ms Rudd may be better served devoting more time to her own constituency, otherwise her wafer-thin majority might disappear and she could be looking for new employment rather than managing one of the great offices of state after the next election.
Don't rock the boat you fools, we're winning!
On the whole, although he was correct, I do not think he was wise to raise the issue again and make a speech about his vision for the UK after leaving the EU. It detracted from a great moment and highlighted divisions within the Conservative Cabinet.
The defeatist moaners wailed explanations about how it had taken the EU seven years to negotiate a trade deal with Canada and swore to everyone that leaving would destroy those opportunities for the UK. In one brief but tremendous visit Teresa May knocked all that tut and depression out of the window. Canada through its Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, demonstrated a wise desire to work with Britain immediately to ensure both countries continued to benefit and displayed an admirable warmth and respect.
Many news outlets including the BBC noted this vital development grudgingly and in passing, but ran with the headline that Teresa May was facing a leadership challenge from Johnson amid infighting within the Cabinet.
Outstanding opportunities
Revolting anti-British reporting it's true, but it was unwise of Boris as well as Amber Rudd to allow the left wing press an open goal. More discipline must be demonstrated if we are to seize the outstanding opportunities on offer and keep the most appalling shower of a shadow government well away from power. As I stressed in a previous article, Not Now Boris.
