- Tusk’s bold claim comes as Poland celebrates 20 years of being in the EU
- Keir Starmer warned last year that “Britain was falling behind” in terms of wealth.
- On a trip to Brussels in 2019, Tusk said there is a “special place in hell” for Brexiteers.
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who hates Brexit, claims that Poles will be richer than Britons in 2030 because “it’s better to be in the EU.”
In the bold statement made on Wednesday, Tusk, 67, promised to accelerate the country’s economic growth, which could lead to a GDP per capita higher than that of post-Brexit Britain in just five years.
The Polish prime minister was president of the European Council during the Brexit negotiations and was known for his extreme criticism of the decision to leave the EU.
“An intense debate is taking place in Britain sparked by the World Bank’s forecast that GDP per capita will be higher in Poland than in the UK in 2025,” Tusk said in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
‘And I promise: by the 25th anniversary, the Poles will be richer than the British. It is better to be in the European Union,’ he added, underlining his firm belief in the benefits of EU membership.
Donald Tusk made a bold statement on Wednesday, claiming that Poland will be richer than Britain in just five years, thanks to its membership in the European Union.
His statement comes as Poland celebrates 20 years since joining the EU, a period that has seen significant economic growth and development.
According to data from the Ministry of Finance, Poland’s GDP has almost doubled since joining the EU in 2004.
The Polish Institute of Economics reports that the country’s GDP is now a staggering 40 percent higher than it would be if it had not become a member of the European Union.
Last year, British Labor Party analysts noted that if current trends continued, the UK’s GDP would be around £480 less than Poland’s within five years.
Sir Keir Starmer, leader of the Labor Party, highlighted that while the UK was falling behind, its European neighbours, including Poland, were becoming richer.
He pointed to World Bank data from 2010 to 2021 that suggested GDP per capita in 2021 was £35,935 in Britain and £27,894 in Poland.
This showed an average economic growth of 0.5 percent for the United Kingdom and 3.6 percent for Poland.
That would mean Poland would overtake the UK by 2030, according to calculations.
Sir Keir warned: ‘The British people are being left behind as our European neighbors get richer, both in the east and in countries like France and Germany.
‘I’m not comfortable with that; He is not comfortable with a trajectory that will soon see Britain overtaken by Poland.
“I am also not willing to accept the consequences of this failure.”
Tusk claimed his second term as prime minister – a post he had left to become president of the European Council in December 2014 – in last year’s Polish general election.
During a trip to Brussels in 2019, Tusk sparked fury when he said there is a “special place in hell” for people who pushed for Brexit without a plan.
Tusk’s bold claim comes just a week after UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak visited Poland to meet Tusk for talks about aid to Ukraine.
In a joint speech, the Conservative leader and the Polish prime minister said “we are long-term allies” following the British government’s pledge of £500m in military aid to Ukraine.
“We in Britain will never forget that it was the Polish pilots who gave their lives to protect our country in the Battle of Britain,” they said.
‘And today we are proud to stand together as NATO allies. Two of the greatest military powers in Europe. Two of Ukraine’s firmest friends.
Sunak added: ‘And across Europe, I believe Poland and the UK are part of a growing wave of countries that are taking greater responsibility for our collective security.
‘Poland is spending more of its GDP on defense than any NATO ally in Europe.
“And with today’s announcement, the UK will spend more cash than any NATO ally in Europe.”