"The truth about the EU"

(Edit: Part 2 of my retort to my response to a flyer I received from UKIP, part 1 can be found below)...

THE TRUTH ABOUT THE EU

HIGHER FOOD PRICES
The EU subsidises farmers,
but penalises them when they grow too much which
leads to higher food
prices. If we import cheaper non EU food, we have to pay
huge import duties
direct to Brussels. (eg 105% on meat, 88% on Bananas
(sic)).

Membership of the EU costs the average family an extra £30 per week in
food
bills.

ASDA charges 8p per 100g for bananas, and I've never seen cheaper bananas than that, even at a greengrocer. This works out as £800 per tonne. Import duties on bananas are €176 per tonne. Am I missing something here?
Assuming their other claims to be just as accurate, that saving will swiftly turn into £7/week savings. This is before they encourage ALDI and LIDL to leave (EU, aren't they?) reducing competition at the supermarket, probably costing families money.

Nonetheless, the CAP is stupid, and in great need of reform. It is merely not as stupid as they claim.

HIGHER GAS AND ELECTRICITY PRICES
EU law allows foreign companies to buy our utility companies, who then
overcharge us. The EU's high renewable energy targets will cost British families
£750 a year in higher energy prices - on top of the increases we are already
suffering.

Water bills are also rising by 20%, thanks to new EU regulations.

Several claims, there. Firstly, that foreign energy companies overcharge us. We are free to choose our energy suppliers, might I suggest googling a price comparison site? If these companies prosper here, it is because they UNDERCUT UK firms. They suggest limiting the ownership of companies, which would reduce competition, which would actually lead to an INCREASE in prices.
Secondly, the claim that EU renewable energy targets cost British families money. This is probably true, but is surely preferable to increasing our use of and reliance upon fossil fuels.
Thirdly the claim that we are already suffering increases: surely they haven't heard that bills are coming down this year (in resonse to the falling oil price, amongst other things). Unless they mean over the longer term, in which case they would SUPPORT green initiatives, which reduce the long term energy prices.
On water bills, I am ignorant both of the price rise (our bill was the same this year as last) and of the relevant regulation. That doesn't make their claim false, of course.

HIGHER COUNCIL TAX
We have to comply with costly EU recycling rules, or Brussels imposes
finces on our local councils.

Have no doubt that the UK government would enforce those rules anyway.

AND IN THE FUTURE

1. British jobs will be given to European workers because of EU laws.
2. The EU will take control of our North Sea oil and gas fields.
3. EU reception centres will be set up in African countries to process even
   more immigrants to Europe.
4. Britain's amateur sea fishermen will have to fill in forms to register all
   catches, and may then be unable to take fish home.
5. Our farmers will not be allowed to use certain pesticides, which will reduce
   yields and push food prices even higher.
6. Car repair prices could double, because Brussels wants to phase out small
   garages - forcving us to go to main dealers.
7. They intend to ban ordinary light bulbs and replace them with low energy
   ones which cost 5 times more, give poor light and can cause health
   problems.

1.In the future? Also, EU jobs will be given to British workers because of EU laws. And in more provincial news, Scottish jobs were given to English workers under UK law (and vice versa) many many years ago.

2. From the Norweigans? I haven't heard this proposed, but it will soon matter little, since production has long past its peak there.

3. The reception centres would be to prevent immigration, which is perceived to be a greater problem in several EU countries than it is here. Or would you prefer more people to come on little dinghies and drown at sea.

4. Quite right too. These waters are heavily overfished and every effort should be made to prevent further destruction. Of course, throwing back dead fish won't help, but I doubt UKIP would prefer heavy fines for unlicensed fishing, regardless of catch.

5. Certain pesticides: unsafe ones, perhaps? Again, so much the better, congratulations EU.

6. Another policy I've not heard about, but I can't imagine they want to "phase out small garages". More likely, I expect they want to ensure providers of a crucial safety service are licensed in some way.

7. I spent less than £2 on the 5 low energy bulbs in my room. They provide an awful lot of light, and cost LESS, because they use less energy. Also, "in the future"? These plans are set, and no UK government would back out of them, EU or no EU.

AND FINALLY

80% of our laws are made in Brussels. We just do what we are told. UKIIP is
the only major political party committed to leaving the EU and making Britain
great again.

I had no idea that MEPs were so productive. They must be great value for money, if an entire continent can get 4 times as many laws for about twice the price the UK pays for its own. And UKIP is a major political party - why do none of the opinion polls list it in their weekly/monthly releases then? Making Britain great again - is this a promise of re-colonisation, empty rhetoric or a heartfelt desire to work hard and improve those things that bring this country down, in the esteem of others (teenage drinking/pregnancy, football hooliganism)? I hope it isn't the first.