Thursday 6 March 2014

Press Release: MEP criticises UK Government for not attempting to access EU funds






MEP NIKKI SINCLAIRE has criticised the UK Government – after they revealed they are NOT seeking EU grants put in place for events such as flooding.

The We Demand a Referendum Now MEP had written to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs to urge them to apply for the EU solidarity fund. 

In a reply from Dan Rogerson MP, he explains that the UK Government had no plans to apply for the fund as insurers had told them flood damage estimates were £400 million, yet the threshold to apply for the ESF is for damages over €3.7 billion.

The Government has ten weeks in which to apply for this funding.

Nikki Sinclaire MEP said,
“As net contributors to the EU, to apply for any funding we are simply asking for our own money back.

The Government should be applying for this money regardless – this is taxpayers money and they should be attempting to claim regardless. 

David Cameron has promised whatever it takes to pay for flood damage, maybe he should be pushing harder to get our EU money back in this case”.

Nikki added,

“We are often told that there are benefits to our EU membership, but why pay £52 million a day into this club when we can’t access  the benefits of membership?
Other European countries are able to draw upon these funds when disaster hits – where is ours?

This is yet another reason for an In or Out EU referendum sooner rather than later”.