The EU had told Britain that it will install a pre-payment meter for all European services if our £1.7 billion bill is not paid in full.
The meter, which would be situated in Southampton, would pay off the debt while continuing to provide European benefits as long as it is kept topped up.
Chancellor George Osborne said: “It’s operated with a Eurocard which can be charged up over the internet or in a Londis.
“All we have to do is put some money on and we’ve got all the benefits of membership of the world’s largest single market while it slowly counts down to zero.
“And if it runs out before you get paid, if you phone and say there’s children under five in the country Herman van Rompuy will put a tenner on to get through the weekend.”
Tom Booker of Leicester said: “You always pay more for those meters, and what if I need freedom of movement across the EU when it’s my flatmate’s turn to pay and he’s spent the money on weed?
“No, we should say we’ve moved out of Britain without a forwarding address and that there’s different people living here now.”
