It is well known that the European Defence Agency (EDA) facilitates further integration in the area of defence. British participation in the European Defence Agency is a threat to national identity and defence capability.
The Ministry of Defence has been participating in several initiatives and programmes run by EDA. It is important to note that the EDA’s annual budget is around €30.5 million and the UK’s annual financial contribution to this budget is around €4.2 million. We are spending money on projects, which represent bad value for the taxpayer, whilst this money could be spent at home.
The Conservative Party election manifesto in 2010 stated, “We will release spending on unnecessary and bureaucratic EU defence initiatives and spend the money on our Armed Forces” and “As part of that process, we will re-evaluate our position with the European Defence Agency.” One could therefore expect that a Conservative Government would withdraw Britain from the EDA. However, we have a Coalition Government, hence it is disappointing but not surprising, that the Secretary of State for Defence , Philip Hammond, has recently announced that the UK will remain a member of the European Defence Agency (EDA).
According to Philip Hammond
“The EDA has made progress in some areas requiring reform, but there is more to be done to improve its operational effectiveness and so the case for continued membership remains finely balanced.” Thus, he has concluded “that for now the UK should remain a member of the EDA with our continuing membership to be reviewed again in late 2013 in light of progress made during the year.”
Can you please tell us ALL exactly how much is this Government paying the EU’s Defence Agency, when it is cutting our forces down yet again? WE- the people of this Country contribute to all your wages and to the Defence of this Country-which a once GREAT Prime Minister that took us through a terrible war-AND YES, that never again would be found “wanting” should there come another time when we had to protect our Country again. So ARE we still contributing financially and in other ways, to the EU’s Defence Agency and exactly by how much please?
This is a deep and treacherous betrayal of our own forces that are being reduced even while some are on active service abroad. It is not just disappointing it is completely unforgivable.
Not only have the Conservatives reneged on their commitment to the people that stupidly voted for them-and yes, I used to vote for them too, they have put themselves out of ever being in Government again.