Is the LHC a waste of money?

CERN has been investing billions of euros/pounds in the Large Hadron Collider – the UK contributed 186 million Swiss Francs in 2008, second only to Germany. Unfortunately this mega investment project failed in less than a month's time, and is now consuming yet more cash. What do British tax payers get out of it?

Why are the EU governments spending tax payer's money on ridiculous projects like this? Should they not in these recessionary times be investing in R&D to get our manufacturing industries into making new products to get themselves out the holes they are in, or even if they want to give money away, to other than bankers, contribute to technologies in and the training of engineers and technicians in third World countries to get them out of the holes some of them are stuck in? The British government should at least try and think differently to its European counterparts and invest into more realistic projects with a better and more immediate return that will increase job opportunities and keep young people off the streets.