Letter to the press on Government spending 2015.

Letter to Press from Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats 17.6.16

Having just received the latest misleading offering in the Vote Leave campaign, we are writing to clarify the impression being given by the Vote Leave campaign that membership of the EU is costing us a fortune. Many people are unaware of the Government's annual spending or even of how wealthy (though actually carrying a debt) this country is. Please take a few minutes to read the UK Government percentage expenditure for 2015, noting in particular the huge difference between the expenditure on health and that on membership of the EU. The employment generated by membership of the EU alone more than pays for the 0.37% net contribution which this country pays to be an important part of a union, which has kept the peace and brought economic prosperity and new opportunities to the UK.

Total UK public expenditure as a % of GDP (Gross Domestic Product). 2015 http://www.ukpublicspending.co.uk/budget_pie_ukgs.php

GDP= £1,832.6 BILLION.

Pensions 20%

Health care 18%

Welfare 15%

Education 11%

Defence 6%

Interest 6%

Protection 4%

General Gov. 2%

Overseas aid 0.7%

EU (net) 0.37%

These official figures cast a different light on the £350m per week promised to the NHS by the leave campaign and actually refer to real current expenditure. The consensus amongst economists, the Government and all major political parties is that the economy will shrink if the UK leaves the EU so there will be no money for that new weekly hospital (even if the NHS decided it was needed).

Bromsgrove Liberal Democrats