Tony Blair

Blair: I can persuade the people to scrap pound
Daily Telegraph Sunday 21 May 2000

Tony Blair, in his strongest declaration yet of his support for membership of the euro, has said that he can persuade the Euro-sceptical British public that it is right to scrap the pound. He believes he can reverse hostility to the single currency because people "do respond to political leaders who know what they want to do".

He revealed his confidence that people would back the move in an interview for the American magazine Talk. His comments were cut from the version published last month, but have been disclosed to The Telegraph. Mr Blair was asked by the interviewer, Robert Harris, whether he believed it was getting too late to turn public opinion in the face of growing hostility to the euro in Britain.

He said: "I don't, as a matter of fact, accept this. If we decided to make a recommendation to people, the whole dynamics of the argument would change, because the circumstances would have changed. And when people are asked now whether they want to go into the euro, they're asked as of now. Well, the Government's position as of now is not to go into the euro, so it's hardly surprising people say, well, no.

"But I think when you get underneath it people want to keep the option open. They understand that we live in a different world today, the world's moving closer together. From January 1, 2002, the euro notes and coins are going to be in circulation. So they'll make up their mind on sensible British grounds. They always do."

The comments confirm suspicions that Mr Blair believes he can avoid the issue during the next election and win a referendum on joining the single currency afterwards with a short campaign.

They also reveal that Mr Blair believes that Britons are not genuinely wedded to the pound despite polls showing strong opposition at present to the euro.

A Gallup poll for The Telegraph in March showed that 69 per cent of people - an increase of three per cent - are opposed to joining the euro.

Michael Portillo, the shadow chancellor, said yesterday: "These new remarks confirm my previous warnings that Mr Blair is working to a considered plan to drag Great Britain into the euro. The Prime Minister has betrayed an ill-judged, arrogant confidence that the British public will tamely follow where he decides to lead. He overestimates himself and underestimates the resolve of the moderate majority to keep the pound."

The disclosure of the unpublished extract comes after a week in which Cabinet tensions over the euro were exposed. Peter Mandelson was rebuked for pointing out that the pound was vulnerable to speculation while Britain remained outside the euro and told to clear future speeches on the subject with Gordon Brown.

According to a friend, Mr Harris was disappointed that the comments on the euro were not included in the published article. David Goodhart, the editor of the essay magazine Prospect, said: "He put them in the original version, but it was cut out because the Americans are not interested in the European single currency."

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