Politics · United Kingdom · 19 hrs ago
Tories claim EU reset could cost UK £23bn over 10 years
Andy Burnham is preparing to sign a post-Brexit reset deal with the EU at a summit on November 20.
The Conservatives say a leaked draft would require the UK to help fund projects aimed at reducing economic and social differences between EU regions.
They estimate the commitments could total £23 billion over 10 years, or £1,220 per working family.
Their estimate includes a proposed contribution to EU projects, payments for the Erasmus+ student exchange scheme and possible tuition subsidies for EU students.
Labour calls the £23 billion figure made up and says its deals would help farmers and families by reducing paperwork and pressure on prices.
Burnham says new trade deals with Brussels could add 0.4% to UK GDP, while a Conservative MP says the calculation is unclear.
The deal is due to be discussed at the November 20 summit.
The Conservatives say a proposed post-Brexit reset with the EU could cost the UK £23 billion over 10 years.
Kemi Badenoch said the amount includes a contribution to EU regional funding, alongside other potential payments.
The Tories estimate the regional contribution alone would be £13 billion over a decade.
The government is preparing to discuss the reset at a summit on November 20.
Labour rejected the £23 billion figure, calling it made-up, and said its proposed deals would benefit farmers and families.
- Who
- The Conservatives, led on this issue by Kemi Badenoch, say the proposed reset could cost the UK. Labour disputes the claim.
- What
- The Tories estimate the reset could involve £23 billion in payments over 10 years.
- When
- The summit is planned for November 20; the year is not stated.
- Where
- The proposed agreement is between the UK and the EU.
- Why
- The Tories say the UK could contribute to EU regional funding and other commitments as part of the reset.
Conservatives
Labour
Estimated cost
Conservatives
The Tories say the proposed reset could cost £23 billion over 10 years.
Labour
Labour called the £23 billion claim made-up.
Purpose and effects
Conservatives
Kemi Badenoch said the UK would be paying for EU schemes and that the terms could be dictated by Brussels.
Labour
Labour said its proposed deals would pay off for farmers and families by reducing paperwork and easing pressure on prices.
This story does not have a timeline yet.
- Proposed total cost
- £23 billion over 10 years, according to the Conservatives
- Estimated regional funding
- £13 billion over 10 years, according to the Tories
- Erasmus+ payment
- £570 million a year, which the UK has agreed to pay
- Potential EU student tuition subsidy
- £580 million a year
- Proposed summit date
- November 20
What people are saying
What I see from Burnham is not confidence but weakness. His claims, telling the world that Brexit has been bad for the UK, have weakened his negotiating position. So he is going to the EU as a supplicant and that will cost us all.
These are made-up numbers from the Tories. 'We are working on deals that pay off for farmers and families by cutting back paperwork and easing pressure on prices.
The biggest trading bloc in the world is on our doorstep, and we walked out of it.
We’ve no idea how it’s calculated, what it takes into account and what it doesn’t.