Government Should Stand Up to EU Over Financial Mismanagement

MP for Torbay Adrian Sanders has called on the Government to stand firm over the EU’s financial management.

Treasury Minister Ian Pearson admitted to Mr Sanders this week that the Government has not taken up the concerns in a recent National Audit Office report highlighting concerns over financial transparency in the EU budget.

Serious errors were found in EU accounting, similar to recent years with the National Audit Office blaming the complexity of EU schemes and poor implementation at a national level.

Mr Sanders is calling on the Government to use its influence to get the EU to make its budget more transparent and improve its legitimacy and also to engage with the public over how EU money is spent.

Mr Sanders said: “Britain makes a net contribution of over £4billion to the EU every year and it is essential that there is democratic oversight of how this is spent.  The Government must stop avoiding its responsibilities on this issue and take Brussels to task to make sure the EU is fully democratic, has good financial management and works in the interests of voters.”