How the EU’s “Level Playing Field” varies widely, from penthouse to basement

UK’s housing benefit expenditure is far, far more than in the EU27 countries

Expenditure per inhabitant in UK is 60 times more than in Italy, 90 times more than Poland

The astonishing variations in the EU’s “Level Playing Field”
A Brexit Facts4EU.Org investigation

When the EU talk of a “Level Playing Field”, they are not only talking about matters such as state aid. They wish to restrict the United Kingdom from acting as a sovereign nation across the board. These restrictions include such things as “social standards”.

“On the level playing field, we didn't make any progress on… non-regression mechanisms on social and environmental standards, climate change, taxation or sustainable development.”

- Michel Barnier, 5 June 2020, Brussels

Let’s take one particular “social standard” - housing benefits

Using the EU Commission’s own official figures, Brexit Facts4EU.Org has conducted an investigation into an issue of concern to many people: that of the amount of taxpayer money being spent on housing benefits. We compared the UK’s expenditure against the expenditure of our EU27 neighbours.

The results were extraordinary.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org Summary

1. The UK’s total spend on housing benefits

The UK's total spend is 50% greater than that of France or Germany
It is eight times more than the Netherlands
It is 69 times more than in Italy

2. Housing benefit per inhabitant

Given that countries in the EU vary so much in size, we also looked at the benefit expenditure per person. The UK’s expenditure on housing benefit per inhabitant is:-

1.5 times that of France
1.9 times that of Germany
More than double that of the Netherlands and of Sweden
Over four times that of Belgium, home to the EU Commission and Council
Over 16 times that of Spain
60 times that of Italy
90 times that of Poland

We looked at all EU27 countries and below we have selected some of the interesting ones. As with total expenditure, the UK came out top again, by a long way.

Statistical note: The above information all comes from Eurostat, the EU’s official statistics agency. It uses the latest data available, from 2017, accessed 13 Jul 2020.

Observations

Part of the reason for this report is the EU’s persistent and insidious suggestion that the UK is somehow not to be trusted on basic human and social protection concerns. We have all had to endure years (since the UK voted to leave) of the EU’s eurocrats insinuating that the UK will turn into a dictatorship, exploiting people and becoming some kind of pariah state. Their mistruths have pervaded the EU27 media - and the UK's, sadly.

This is the reason that over the last few years we have produced clear evidence showing how the UK’s employment, pay, and equality laws far exceed the EU’s own standards.

What “Level Playing Field”?

The additional reason for this report is of course the EU’s absurd mantra about a “Level Playing Field”. In effect they still wish to tie the UK to their own rules and laws on all manner of things – state aid, environment, tax, etc. In doing so, they have had to create a fiction that all countries in the EU are equal.

They most emphatically and demonstrably are not. We continue to show the many ways the EU’s mantra is based on false premises and this is our latest in a series of such reports.

The World must now be told : The EU is not acting in good faith

Put simply, the EU are not acting in good faith in these negotiations. Imagine the USA doing a trade deal with the EU and Donald Trump agreeing to have American social standards, taxation rates, environmental standards, state aid rules, climate change policies, etc, governed by the EU's rules and regulations? No, we can't imagine that either.

And if the EU is not negotiating in good faith, then the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration are null and void. They should now be repudiated on that basis alone.

Would you like us to produce a short summary, based on the very best and latest legal advice, of why such a repudiation by the United Kingdom Government is completely lawful and now required? Please let us know by email or in the comments section below.

Finally, if you can help us to keep shining a bright, white, Brexit light on the EU’s hypocrisy, and help us to continue to promote freedom of speech and work hard for a fully-free and independent United Kingdom, could you send “a few bob” our way today? We need you, as we have no-one else. Thank you so much for anything you can do to help.

P.S. A happy Bastille Day to all our French readers!

[ Sources: EU Commission (Eurostat) ] Politicians and journalists can contact us for details, as ever.

Brexit Facts4EU.Org, Tues 14 July 2020

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Reader Comments 13

1. Patrick F , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 06:01:

Yes, please produce a short summary and happy Bastille day to my French friends!
Off topic, I was disturbed to read in The Daily Hero that from the 24th of July the wearing of socks in shops will be mandatory. This is because Corona Virus can be transmitted through the soles of the feet (Source: Imperial College, "The Science of Socks", author, Professor Hosiery.)
The Police have been instructed to give a verbal warning and directions to Primark for a first non sock wearing offence.
Matt Handoncock, Health Secretary added "As the Science grows and the evidence diminishes, more items of clothing may be neccessary."

2. Andy , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 06:34:

I'm also interested in the report regarding the repudiation of the Withdrawal Agreement and Political Declaration. Just made you a small donation. Keep up the good work!

3. Anna K , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 06:36:

Comment no.1, Patrick F - Hilarious! :)

4. Lin T , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 07:54:

Shocking!

5. Keith H , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 09:28:

Yes, explain why the WA can be repudiated by the UK. Perhaps you can also explain why the UK government does not just walk away from the talks, refuse to negotiate with Mr Barnier who has spent four years playing the same boring record. If we can see the negotiations are a complete waste of time why can't BJ & the Cabinet? I hope you send a copy of every article direct to No 10, No 11& to all the other government Ministers. Lets tell the EU we are leaving on August 31st & that's it.

6. Derek chilvers , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 10:41:

Face masks worn in shops by customers ,and does that also apply to the shop assistant

7. stephen kent , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 10:42:

I would love to read the explanation of why UK can just repudiate the WA and please send to Mr Frost and Mr Johnson !

8. Patricia D L , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 11:00:

No wonder they all want to come here. Other European countries don't have the same pension system as we do. They have to contribute a percentage of their salary to 'save up' for their pensions unlike our NI system which covers health care too. You cannot compare.

9. Derek Lund , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 14:34:

Patrick F, comment 1; A row has just broken out between Imperial College and SSM (Smelly Socks Matter). SSM claim that Prof Hosiery’s work has not been properly peer reviewed. They point out a particular flaw in his work concerning the frequency of sock changes. Socks, say SSM, must be changed at least once a month otherwise the ensuing offensive effluvia poses a worse danger than the virus itself. SSM claim that this is explains why the lecterns were so far apart during the recently terminated No10 daily briefings.
(sorry folks!)

10. R. Ellison , Tuesday, July 14, 2020, 20:31:

Yes, please Facts4EU tell us do. As for this deviation off topic on to compulsory wearing of face masks, I would ask this: why, when there is absolutely no 'Scientific' evidence to back this up? Who is behind this? When Dr. Who and the College of Imps speak out, using 'opinion' rather than 'evidence', to demand this or that on Coronavirus, I am hearing the name William Shut the Gate echoing in my ears. Where there is a push to get everyone in the World vaccinated for this that and the other, the name floating by is again William Shut the Gate. There are massive profits to be made out of vaccinations. Does it matter if the funding behind this push has absolutely no medical training? Of course it does. It will be for profit only and donating vast wealth around the world's pharmaceuticals can be unethical and is potentially highly dangerous. We got rid of Adolph Hitler: more such 'types' are abound. There is scientific talk that there was no such thing as a Coronavirus. That IS explosive. There are items taken off on-line sites (possibly too near to the truth?) from Doctors in this country who say Coronavirus does not exist. They cannot speak out freely and openly as they are under threat of losing their jobs. We have another gigantic fight on our hands. Perhaps President Trump can sort this one out for us all. He's done good digging the dirt up and out popped fixer Maximilla.

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