Sajjid Karim Conservative MEP for the North West has urged support for the Coalition Government's view that the EU budget should be reduced in 2011 at a time when the financial problems of the country require reductions in public expenditure.

Saj  Karim stated ''This week Britain’s Coalition Government has outlined its priorities for the next phase of negotiations of the 2011 EU budget. Its priorities include lowering the EU budget from that outlined in the Commission’s draft budget for 2011, which plans a 7bn euro (+6%) rise.

''I fully support a reduction as I believe economic realities have changed substantially since the Financial Framework for the budget was agreed in 2005.

''With member states, such as the UK, having now begun measures to reduce their deficits, I think it is ludicrous that the EU budget should continue to increase.

''As this budget rise would come at a cost to all member states, higher payments levels would mean higher contributions from the UK, and a higher proportion of our national budget being spent on them.

''I therefore agree with the Coalition Government that the payments level of the annual budget be maintained at the level of the 2010 adopted budget.''