12/05/2003

Cabinet euro debate heats up

Cabinet splits over the euro have been exposed again today as debate rages on over the polling date for a single currency referendum.

The Leader of the House of Commons, John Reid, said on national television yesterday that the debate was not whether Britain would join the euro - but “when”.

Mr Reid’s remarks on the euro issue are sure to infuriate the chancellor Gordon Brown, who has always preferred “if” to “when” on the prospect of joining the single currency.

The comments came the day before a letter signed by 25 business leaders was handed in to Downing Street on Monday in a bid to up the ante and put pressure on a divided government.

Among the co-signatories of the letter are Vodophone’s Chief Executive, Chris Gent, BP Chairman, Peter Sutherland, and a former Treasury minister, Lord Simon.

The letter spells out that by not choosing to join the single currency, foreign investment will be hit and the overall damage to the economy could be long-reaching. And adding insult to possible injury, among the signatories are some high profile Labour benefactors.

The latest round of Treasury discussions and reports will culminate in a report due to be published in early June. The report, yet another economic assessment of the impact of euro-zone membership, is thought unlikely to be too favourable and consequently will leave plenty of scope for Mr Blair and Mr Brown to prevaricate further.

Recent comments from Scottish Secretary Helen Liddell are not thought to have gone down well. Ms Liddell said that a sixth test, one of the cost of not entering the euro, should be applied.

(SP)

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