So, let me guess. When the whiners in the UK, the "freedom fighters", cry for freedom, they mean they want to stay in the single market, but not contribute anything. Hence, the "free handouts" that I am pointing out to the UK crowd that has been screaming about running away for the last 10 years. As for the generous UK argument, Cyprus, Ireland, France and Spain contribute more per person than the average British. No sympathy for you. Go take your UK out of the EU and stop whining. 10 years of constantly whining and annoying the rest of us is not enough for you? We don't care! We don't want to hear about the UK. Your whining is legendary, we get it, you are oppressed and yet too lazy and comfortable to leave.
The data is not misrepresented at all, nor does your argument counter the facts. You are typically full of vitriol but very little substance, Euroman.
* I have never stated that the UK is the largest total contributor or the larger per capita contributor. Neither of those facts diminishes my own argument however, since a larger total or per capita contribution is moot if you're receiving a larger total or per capita amount back.
* If it was not for the rebate we negotiated, the UK would have been the largest net contributor
full stop. Bigger even than Germany. You cannot possibly imagine that is fair can you?
* You have highlighted UK exports, but totally ignored EU imports. We buy far more from European nations than they buy from us. It's more in YOUR interest than ours that we stay in the EU in purely economic terms. In fact our EU trade has diminished the last few years due to the economic woes in the Eurozone.
* Do you honestly imagine we'd lose access to your markets if we left the EU? Not even the anti-UK lobby in Brussels is making that argument, because of the above point.
* Trade has nothing to do with handouts. You buy our goods and services because they are better, cheaper, or exclusive to us. That is no charity on Europes part.
* What the hell does CAP payments have to do with single market? Nothing. CAP is still one of the biggest parts of the EU budget and serves no purpose for the UK. In fact it hurts our economy far more than it benefits it.
* As usual you present the UK has having only a single voice on this issue, but as I've pointed out previously there are various views in the UK just as there are various issues in all nations. You're as usual trying to scapegoat the UK because it's easier than acknowledging the flaws in the system.
* I would have voted against EU membership in the rumoured 2018 referendum, but I now plan to vote that we stay in if only to be a thorn in your side.
* You also seem to ignore some of the big issues that when push came to shove, it was the French and Dutch voters who opposed the EU constitution. The British didn't even get as far as a vote! Why are you not attacking France and the Netherlands?
* Oh and let us add into the pot support for the EU is lower in Czech Republic and Greece (to name two off the top of my head). You love to portray this as a black and white issue with the Brits against the whole of the EU, but that is really not the case at all.