Brown's tirade at French
By Joe Murphy Political Editor
10 June 2005
Gordon Brown launched a ferocious attack on Jacques Chirac today as the row over Europe boiled over.
He said France was trying to "wish away" Europe's real problems of mass unemployment and financial waste by manufacturing a row over the British rebate
In a withering condemnation, he laid into Mr Chirac's demands for an end to the £3billion rebate.
The Chancellor said the sum was dwarfed by huge subsidies grabbed by the French for their own farmers.
"Let's remember in the context of France that we have paid 58billion in euros to the European Union as our contribution in the last 20 years," he said. "France has only paid 29 billion.
"In the last 10 years we have paid 35 billion-France has paid only 13 billion. For Mr Chirac to complain about our rebate when even in 2013 France expects to get nine billion of euros simply for its agriculture policy; when one country for one item of policy, agriculture policy, is taking up such a huge share of the EU budget - then there are bigger issues to discuss before we can reach a settlement than simply discussing the British rebate.
"To suggest that the problems that Europe faces, or the referendums were lost or that unemployment was 10 per cent because of the British rebate is to wish away problems that Europe must face up to." His highly and deliberately provocative comments paved the way for a showdown at European talks when Mr Chirac, backed by Germany, will try to make Tony Blair accept cuts in the rebate.
Mr Brown said Britain would use its veto to stop any attempt to scrap the rebate.
His comments came as Neil Kinnock today accused the French president of bringing "discredit" on himself by playing diplomatic games at Britain's expense.
The attack by the former European Commissioner was fresh evidence that Mr Blair is ready to provoke a bitter showdown with Mr Chirac on the future of the EU.
Lord Kinnock, a friend and ally of the Prime Minister, tore into Mr Chirac who has been criticising Britain over its £3billion rebate and the handling of the doomed EU constitution.
Accusing the Frenchman of lacking candour and of stoking the budget feud as a diversion from his own political problems, Lord Kinnock said: "It demonstrates once again most regrettably that Mr Chirac has not learned the lesson of his own referendum, which is that Europe should not be conducting affairs at this level without effort to explain exactly what the causes are and, to be frank, to be candid about the relationships between member states.
"And Chirac playing this digressionary game simply adds to the discredit."
His intervention came as Mr Blair's close allies said the Prime Minister was "up for a fight" with Mr Chirac and ready to provoke a climax to the feud that has simmered between them for four years.
The Prime Minister was holding a series of meetings to prepare for crucial talks next week.
British rebate
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks