Brexit makes no sense in a world dominated by Trump. Britain’s place is back in the EU | Jonathan Freedland
Guardian4 days
UK Allocates £10.6B to EU for Brexit Payments
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Above: European Commission Pres. Ursula von der Leyen and British Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hold a joint press conference after their meeting in Brussels, Belgium on Oct. 2, 2024. Image copyright: European Commission / Pool / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images
The Facts
The UK government has allocated £10.6B (US$13.5B) for future payments to the European Union (EU), as government figures published in November show that total EU liabilities in the year ending March 31, 2023 sit at £19.2B ($24.4B) — down from £31.7B ($40.3B) twelve months prior.
The payments cover ongoing financial obligations, including EU staff pensions and pre-existing commitments made during EU membership, with payments potentially continuing until the 2060s.
The Spin
Left narrative
The Brexit divorce bill has faded from public focus despite its significant cost to the UK. Boris Johnson's disastrous deal has placed a terrible economic burden on the British public, likely to continue for decades. While the government rightly focuses on mending EU relations, the bill is a stark reminder of Brexit’s ongoing financial impact and that — in an increasingly protectionist world — the UK's safest option is to rejoin the European bloc.
Right narrative
Labour’s relentless pursuit of closer ties with the EU is a direct betrayal of the UK’s decision to leave, especially after the British people have already paid billions to divorce from the European bloc. Labour chooses to burn cash by propping up the EU's pension pot while telling pensioners there's not enough money to keep them warm this winter. Instead of moving forward, Starmer seeks to damage the UK economy and revoke British sovereignty to achieve ideological goals.
