And So It's Begins

[cassa333]

The EU trying to get their pound (or billions) by any means. Now the UK has been accused of fraud on an industrial scale so we could be hit with a £1.2billion fine.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-39206513

[cassa333]

Sorry got that slightly wrong £1.7billion.

[anneasquith]

I believe we will be horrified how much leaving the EU will cost Britain;'(

[-Talbot-]

And yet you weren't horrified how much leaving the UK would have cost Scotland, anne ... funny that.

[New Judge]

“As a result, investigators say the EU budget has lost millions of pounds in customs duties.”

It’s also lost billions through corruption among its officials who have presided over years of unaudited accounts. But it doesn’t matter because whatever money the EU gets it simply squanders so if it gets a bit less it has less to waste. Spending other people’s money is simple. Looking after it is a bit more tricky.

[Jackdaw33]

"Spending other people’s money is simple. Looking after it is a bit more tricky. "

A fitting epitaph for both Blair and Brown.

[Gromit]

It says the British were repeatedly warned about the fraud - but did nothing.

I guess the message is that the UK will be so desperate for trade post Brexit, that any scam to rip us off we will happily support.

[cassa333]

I wonder how many other EU countries have the same accusation levelled at them? Or are they saying it is a uniquely UK problem?

Of course they will have to get all their little scams and extortion ideas out in the open before we leave. Just to show their teeth of course !!

[ABerrant]

Shhhhh... nobody mention how Jean-Claude Juncker, then Prime Minister, turned Luxembourg into a major European centre for tax avoidance, robbing other EU states and therefore the EU itself of potential billions in revenue.

The same Juncker who was President of the Eurogroup (in charge of Eurozone financial activity) and then President of the European Commission and who never faced any censure from the EU for such outrageous financial practices.

[New Judge]

"I guess the message is that the UK will be so desperate for trade post Brexit, that any scam to rip us off we will happily support."

"Clothes and shoes were imported through the UK at fictitiously low values for years to avoid duties, the European Anti-Fraud Office (Olaf) has found."

So not just since last June 23rd, then?

[jourdain2]

Ho Hum........ here we go...............not worried. We can counter their claims, they are just after any euro they can get.

[Old_Geezer]

Maybe they should try fining the criminals rather than the easier route of trying to fie the taxpayer victim. Sounds more like extortion to me. Mind you even authorities here think that's a good idea to increase their income.

[youngmafbog]

Yet another good reason to keep on track to leave.

We were only tolerated in the EU because we were second larges net contributer, all they would have done if we stayed is to bleed us dry and use us as a dumping ground for the trash they have let in.

We will see much more of this, but there is always the two fingers option. We dont need Europe ultimately but they do need us.

[jno]

Britain as a fraud hub.... happily, the British seem to think this is a great idea (only bad when other people do it).

Or so I deduce from the total lack of condemnation here.

[youngmafbog]

No jno, but I for one would like to know what other countries have been up to as well. I strongly suspect it is far deeper than the UK so picking us out is the joke.

[Samjenko]

If it has become a 'fraud hub', it's the fault of immigrants.

We only had the odd colourful cad before the enrichment.

[ToraToraTora]

Fraud! PMSL, is this the outfit that is so bent that they cannot find an accountant to audit the accounts....for about 18 years?

[ToraToraTora]

being accused of fraud by the EU is like being accused of Child Molesting by Gary Glitter!

[Old_Geezer]

Would one also suggest folk think all crime is a good idea were we to reject the idea of fining the police for any crime they've not solved, and have a lack of condemnation of them ?