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QUESTION:

This is a question about lower contribution, how to make it happen to have a lower contribution, and how was it possible for the United Kingdom to have a lower contribution to the EU budget? 

MR MILLER:

This is mainly a question to Prime Minister Blair, but we are also trying to have as good conditions for the accession as possible and as long as negotiations continue we will keep trying.

PRIME MINISTER:

Actually we are one of the largest contributors to the EU budget and the whole purpose of the negotiation is to make sure that no accession country is worse off as a result of the negotiation

And I have obviously listened very carefully to the words that Prime Minister Miller has used and the argument that he is engaged in now to make sure  that Poland gets the very best deal from membership of the European Union, as I am sure will happen because for Poland and the Polish people I believe that membership of the European Union will offer a great deal in terms of living standards, prosperity and Polish influence in the world.

MR MILLER:

We talked about these issues with Mr Blair today, but we will continue talking about it during my visit to the United Kingdom on 26 November.

QUESTION:

…are you prepared to consider a legal challenge to end the fire-fighters’ dispute?

PRIME MINISTER:

First of all I would like to pay tribute to the work that our Armed Forces have done over the past 48 hours in trying to deal with this difficult situation, and even now I hope that the Fire-Fighters’ Union will realise that no government, with inflation at around 2%, could yield to a wage claim of 40% and if this really is to move to an 8 day stoppage I think that would be deeply irresponsible, it would put lives in danger, it would be wrong, and obviously from the government’s perspective, though we have not wanted this confrontation in any way at all, we have to do everything we can to protect the public, and we will.

QUESTION:

Re:  Lisbon Summit.

PRIME MINISTER:

First of all I think the Lisbon agenda is a very important part of the process of economic change in Europe so that we can compete in the global markets of the world.  Secondly, I would just like to say that on this agenda, as well as on the Convention on the Future of Europe and the whole process of accession, I know that Britain and Poland will work very closely together. 

And if I can just take this opportunity to pay tribute first of all to the leadership that Prime Minister Miller has shown over these past months in negotiating this very difficult task of accession for Poland; to say that Britain remains absolutely committed to Polish membership of the European Union and immensely respectful of the partnership we already have with Poland within NATO; and finally simply to say that I think the state of the relations between Poland and Great Britain have never been better, they are strengthening all the time, and it is interesting to reflect that Poland and Polish people, particularly Polish Servicemen, made enormous sacrifices during the Second World War and fought alongside British troops and it is particularly poignant and I think right that today Britain and Poland are working together to create the new Europe.