BRUSSELS, Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Britain's slim-line budget proposal for the European Union was Tuesday met by a chorus of criticism in the European Parliament.
Leaders of major parties from both sides of the assembly lashed out at the blueprint -- which suggests shaving the budget by $28 billion, mainly at the expense of the new and poorer member states.
Hans-Gert Poettering, the conservative chairman of the largest party, slammed it as unacceptable and completely lacking in solidarity.
"My Group will not accept the current U.K. proposals because they penalize the poorer and weaker member states in an unreasonable and unacceptable manner," said Poettering.
The German Christian Democrat was joined by leaders from the Liberal and the Greens.
"The proposals outlined were clearly engineered to save face back in Britain rather than find the means for tackling Europe's many common challenges," said Liberal leader Graham Watson.
Although the European Parliament's influence on the allocations of the budget is limited, it holds the power to torpedo the Union's seven-year financial plan by refusing to approve them.
