UK deficit with EU staggering

MEP Paul Nuttall, UKIP deputy leader

The country's annual trade deficit with the EU has soared to a staggering £56.2 billion, said UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall.

"It has almost doubled from 2010 when it stood at £28.5 billion which is truly shocking.

"This information has come to light after independent Labour Peer, Lord Stoddart of Swindon submitted a written question to the government and we should all be very grateful to him," said Mr Nuttall, North West MEP.

The government response also revealed that the UK’s trade deficit with the European Union has been increasing in leaps and bounds from 2010. It was £21.7bn in 2011, £39.5bn in 2012 and £56.2bn last year.

"These figures demonstrate that our membership of the EU is a dead weight around our economic neck and really we can't go on like this. Our continued membership is dragging us down and we need to leave and make our own trade deals and not be tied to this disaster zone," said Mr Nuttall.