British Prime Minister David Cameron has said that he will fight against the European Union’s demand for an extra contribution to the bloc’s budget.
While addressing the British parliament on Monday, the premier said the UK would not pay “anything like” the 2.1 billion euros the EU has requested.
“It is not just about the scale of the money being demanded. It is also the timetable,” Cameron said, adding, “The (European) commission admits it does not actually need this. So there is no pressing need for the money to be paid.”
The British prime minister went on to say that he would not permit the UK taxpayers’ money to be funneled into the EU.
“The European Union has to change. It has to regain trust and that starts by understanding and respecting the fact that these payments and adjustments are about the hard earned taxes of its citizens. This is just one of the many challenges in our long campaign to reform the European Union, but it is vital we stick to the task,” he added.
On Thursday, Brussels, the EU’s de facto capital, demanded that the UK pay the extra amount by December after a recalculation of the country’s national income found that Britain’s economy has enjoyed better-than-expected performance in comparison with other European countries since 1995.
Cameron has also warned that such behavior would certainly affect Britain’s decision on whether to remain in the EU.