The UK will gain very little from blocking a deal on the EU budget

On the 22nd and 23rd of November, the European Council will meet to discuss the next seven years (2014-2020) of the EU budget. While this process is typically prolonged and divisive, the upcoming negotiations are expected to be particularly problematic due to the commitment of the UK government to avoid a real-terms increase in the overall size of the budget. Iain Begg argues that there is very little to be gained from the UK blocking a deal, and that making excessive demands may carry a significant financial and political cost for the country.