The cost of renting in the UK is higher than in Germany so when you hear these big figures quoted in newspapers for "benefits Britain" a large chunk of that is in housing benefit in rent in expensive areas to rent. That benefit money doesn't go to the claimant it goes to the landlord. The claimant just gets to live there but they could probably live in a better quality house in Germany at lower cost to the German taxpayer.

You'd be better off in real terms on the dole (or as a pensioner) in Germany than the UK.

Which raises the point as to why as members of the EU we don't relocate housing benefit recipients to Germany of somwhere even cheaper like Bulgaria or Rumania? That would reduce the deficit and at the same time stimulate the economies of new EU members thereby reducing the need to subsidise these regions via EU grants. Everyone a winner.

Paying benefits to people in other countries sounds too ridiculous to be true.

Nevertheless the UK is one of only about 4 EU countries that allows migrants to claim child benefit for offspring not domiciled in the host nation.

We already do.

Also as so many people love the EU it is perfectly sensible. Indeed, possibly more sensible than shipping Londoners to Hull.

Says it all. As I implied, they'd be better off in Transylvania!

We could transport them by train, nothing too luxurious mind, freight wagons and cattle trucks should suffice. There shouldn't be a great problem once they arrive, someof the Eastern European countries have previous experience in processing transportees

How about dispersing them in and around the Home Counties?

That's not a matter to be joking about.

By the way, you live in the SW don't you? Just about as far away from Hull as you can get in England!

Too expensive. The point was to reduce costs if you recall.

1. Scrap HS2 and spend the same money on new branch lines, longer trains and the stations to accommodate them, along with major road improvements.

2. Crack down on both benefit abuse and tax evasion and avoidance schemes (I don't say evasion, I say avoision)

3. Introduce rent controls along with restrictions on the number of houses a person or company can own

4. Lower VAT to 17.5%

5. Raise the basic rate of income tax to 25%

6. Large social housing programme

7. Increase the size of all branches of the armed forces but especially the army

I'd agree with all those. Point 7 - I agree from a security perspective but what's your thinking economically / deficit-wise?