European Affairs

I am sure that my hon. Friend's logic is absolutely correct in that regard. It would of course be interesting to know what efforts the Government propose to make in future to ensure that the UK gets a fair deal in the EU. Whichever way one looks at the budget situation, this country seems to be considered by its EU partners as some sort of milch cow. How is it that, after 12 years of being told repeatedly by this Labour Government that they and they alone of the UK political parties knew how to play the game in Europe—at the centre of Europe—we now have a deteriorating contribution situation with absolutely nothing to show for it?