Voters back Cameron on EU cash: Almost half in Mail on Sunday poll say PM was right to stand up to Brussels over £1.75bn bill 42% in poll agreed it was 'a result for Britain', against 33% who disagreed 35% thought Ed Miliband would have secured worse deal if he was PM Critics say deal was a synthetic victory achieved by "smoke and mirrors They say it was achieved by bringing forward rebate UK was expecting But Chancellor has defended the deal as 'a real win for British taxpayers' Ed Balls maintains he and the PM are 'trying to take British people for fools' By Glen Owen Political Correspondent For The Mail On Sunday and Jack Crone for MailOnline David Cameron's handling of the Brussels" £1.7 billion surcharge demand has been strongly backed by the public, according to a Mail on Sunday poll David Cameron's handling of the row over Brussels" £1.7 billion surcharge demand has been strongly backed by the public, a poll for today's Mail on Sunday has found. As a political storm raged over the deal, which the Government claimed had halved the bill to £850 million, the Survation poll found that 42 per cent of voters agreed it was "a result for Britain" - against 33 per cent who disagreed. And a substantial 35 per cent of voters thought that if Labour leader Ed Miliband had been Prime Minister he would have secured a worse deal, compared with only 11 per cent who thought he would have done better. The findings came as Chancellor George Osborne fought back against critics" claims that Friday's deal had been a synthetic victory achieved by "smoke and mirrors." During a heated interview on Radio 4"s Today programme, Mr Osborne denied the accusation that the reduction had only been achieved by bringing forward a rebate the UK was already expecting. "It took a lot of hard discussion, a lot of hard negotiation and it shows that when this Government sets out a goal in Europe it goes and achieves it," said Mr Osborne. He insisted it was "not clear" the £1.7m rebate was going to apply to the surcharge, which was demanded after a recalculation of Britain's income relative to the other member states. "The truth is, as always, we have achieved a real win for British taxpayers, and having achieved it everyone says, "Oh, of course you were always going to achieve that." It was a real doubt about whether the rebate would apply... we have got this bill halved. Asked if Britain's contributions to the EU were value for money, he replied: 'I don't think we get full value for money for all those pounds that get sent to the European Union.' Twenty-five per cent of voters say Friday's deal has made them more confident in Mr Cameron's ability to win concessions, compared with 22 per cent who said it made them less confident. Labour has claimed the deal does not save the UK 'a single penny' and accused Mr Osborne and the Prime Minister of 'trying to take the British people for fools'. George Osborne has defended the deal that will leave Britain paying an extra £850 million towards the European Union budget Despite the scepticism, the poll also found that the deal has marginally boosted support for Mr Cameron's stance over the EU referendum he has pledged to hold if he wins the General Election next May. Mr Cameron says he will campaign for Britain to stay in the EU if he can negotiate concessions from Brussels over issues such as immigration. The Chancellor's European counterparts also appeared to contradict the Chancellor's account of the deal. Irish finance minister Michael Noonan said he believed that the UK 'will pay the whole amount' while Dutch finance minister Jeroen Dijsselbloem said 'it's not as if the British have been given a discount'. Polish Finance Minister Mateusz Szczurek (L), George Osborne and European Commissioner Jonathan Hill (R) at the start of a European finance ministers meeting at EU Commission headquarters, in Brussels yesterday Attack: Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls responded to the deal by saying: 'David Cameron and George Osborne are trying to take the British people for fools' The European Commission's vice-president with responsibility for the budget, Kristalina Georgieva, said the additional contribution being demanded from the UK meant that its rebate was also increased, leading to a 'downward correction' in the overall sum to be paid. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls said on Twitter: 'David Cameron and George Osborne are trying to take the British people for fools. By counting the rebate Britain was due anyway, they are desperately trying to claim that the backdated bill for £1.7 billion has somehow been halved. Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls and Ukip leader Nigel Farage laid into George Osborne on Twitter yesterday The rebate was never in doubt and, in fact, was confirmed by the EU Budget Commissioner last month. Ukip leader Nigel Farage also weighed into the debate, posting on Twitter: 'Osborne (is) trying to spin his way out of disaster. UK still paying full £1.7 billion, his credibility is about to nose-dive. Borrowing what we are rightfully owed in the future to pay an unfair bill being levied now is not a victory. It's a sham.' The poll found that support for leaving the EU is at 54 per cent, while just 31 per cent want to remain. Criticism: Ukip leader Nigel Farage said: 'Osborne (is) trying to spin his way out of disaster.