Labour Party: Impossible to back EU budget increase - Labour MEPs

Speaking in advance of the European Parliament's vote today on the EU budget for 2011, Glenis Willmott MEP, Labour's leader in the European Parliament, said:

"Labour MEPs will be voting against any budget increase.

"At a time when national governments are slashing their spending on vital public services, it is impossible for us to back this budget.

"The EU will be doing a lot of important work next year, in many cases providing support to those poorer areas that will be hardest hit by the coalition government's cuts. But if new expenditure is required then savings have to be found.

"For all David Cameron's tough talking on this issue, all we have on the table is the same 2.9 per cent deal that was hammered out by other EU leaders back in August."