France joins list opposing EU budget

France has joined a growing list of EU governments threatening to veto the bloc’s next long-term budget, turning up the heat at the start of divisive bargaining over a €1tn spending plan.

The warning from Paris echoed similar threats from Denmark and Britain, where prime minister David Cameron came under pressure from opposition politicians and rebels in his own party to ditch his call for a real-term freeze in EU spending and push for outright cuts.

The French ultimatum was sparked by a proposal to trim farm subsidies — jealously guarded by France — as part of a compromise from the Cypriot EU presidency to cut the 2014-20 budget by over €50bn.