I WRITE in response to the letter from James Wreghitt (Evening Press, September 10) who compares Denmark to the UK, saying what a wonderful education system they have, and that Europe and the single currency, coupled with further integration, is the only way forward.
Surely people in the UK must realise by now why, under governments of different colours, we still have a cash- starved health service, poor education system, poor roads and an economy on the ropes. The answer is the amount of money we have to pay to the European Union each year.
Because we pay a percentage of GDP (Gross Domestic Product) to the EU plus a percentage of our total VAT receipts, the more successful our economy, the more we have to give the EU to subsidise our economic competitors - or partners the EU would call them.
At present we are, by treaty, obliged to give our competitors some £14 billion a year.
No wonder life is so great in Denmark... it's also great in Ireland, France, Holland, Belgium, Portugal, Spain etc, because these countries all receive more money from us than they pay.
Peter Spence,
Bowyers Close, York.
Updated: 10:37 Tuesday, September 18, 2001
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