From The Sun -
ELECTION 2005
Euro out for five years
By TREVOR KAVANAGH
Political Editor
TONY Blair last night threw in the towel on the euro as he ruled out ditching the Pound in the next five years.
He admitted a UK referendum on joining the single currency is “unlikely” in the next Parliament — his last as Premier.
Mr Blair told Sky TV: “It doesn’t look very likely at the moment that your economics are going to change dramatically. They aren’t in the right place.
“If the economics aren’t right and if it won’t help your country economically, you don’t do it.
“There is no part of business and industry clamouring to say we need this for our economy, so it doesn’t look very likely.”
Mr Blair faced up to reality on the single currency amid an explosion of anti-EU feeling across Europe.
The French and Dutch are likely to vote No in referendums on the new constitution in the next few weeks.
There are fears that this could cause chaos in the EU. Former EC President Romano Prodi said a No vote would bring about the “fall of Europe”.
And French foreign minister Michel Barnier said it would cause the “political breakdown of the European Union”.
Mr Blair appeared to backtrack on an earlier promise to stage a UK referendum on the constitution — even if France votes against it.
He said: “If France says No, and then the rest of Europe were to tear up the constitution and say we’re forgetting about it — you wouldn’t have a referendum on nothing.”
British polls show overwhelming opposition to both the euro and the constitution.
Gordon Brown has already torpedoed earlier moves by Mr Blair to sign Britain up to the single currency.
In a speech to UK businessmen this week, the Chancellor effectively ruled out scrapping the Pound altogether.
thesun.co.uk
ELECTION 2005
Euro out for five years
By TREVOR KAVANAGH
Political Editor
TONY Blair last night threw in the towel on the euro as he ruled out ditching the Pound in the next five years.
He admitted a UK referendum on joining the single currency is “unlikely” in the next Parliament — his last as Premier.
Mr Blair told Sky TV: “It doesn’t look very likely at the moment that your economics are going to change dramatically. They aren’t in the right place.
“If the economics aren’t right and if it won’t help your country economically, you don’t do it.
“There is no part of business and industry clamouring to say we need this for our economy, so it doesn’t look very likely.”
Mr Blair faced up to reality on the single currency amid an explosion of anti-EU feeling across Europe.
The French and Dutch are likely to vote No in referendums on the new constitution in the next few weeks.
There are fears that this could cause chaos in the EU. Former EC President Romano Prodi said a No vote would bring about the “fall of Europe”.
And French foreign minister Michel Barnier said it would cause the “political breakdown of the European Union”.
Mr Blair appeared to backtrack on an earlier promise to stage a UK referendum on the constitution — even if France votes against it.
He said: “If France says No, and then the rest of Europe were to tear up the constitution and say we’re forgetting about it — you wouldn’t have a referendum on nothing.”
British polls show overwhelming opposition to both the euro and the constitution.
Gordon Brown has already torpedoed earlier moves by Mr Blair to sign Britain up to the single currency.
In a speech to UK businessmen this week, the Chancellor effectively ruled out scrapping the Pound altogether.
thesun.co.uk