Blair unswayed by Swedish nej
Prime Minister Tony Blair has refused to rule out holding a referendum on the euro before the next general election, despite Sweden’s decision to retain the kroner..
The PM is reported to have told colleagues privately that Britain’s entry could come about at any moment should sound economic conditions prevail.
Analysts are split on whether the question of euro embrace could be posed before next spring’s Budget.
A draft referendum bill on how the question could be phrased may be mooted in the Queen’s Speech in November.
In any event, Mr Blair will not rule out a referendum before the election as that would affect Britain’s bargaining power in talks over the new European constitution.
Swedes voted Sunday against joining the 15-member states who have already ditched their own means of exchange for the fledgling currency.
Sweden was one of only three EU nations to defer euro entry at the currency’s launch. The Swedish vote is likely to influence future referendums in Denmark and Britain.
Denmark voted against the single currency in 2000.
The PM’s official spokesman said yesterday: “The Swedish referendum is a matter for the Swedish people, and of course the Government respects their decision. It would have respected it whatever decision the Swedish people had made. But it does not affect our own policy on the single currency.”
Keith Vaz, a former minister for Europe, said the Swedish result was a “bitter blow to the pro-euro campaign in Britain.”
Former deputy leader of the Conservative party, Lord Heseltine said the Government now toiled with a “serious credibility” issue.
“They seem to have lost their nerve on the European issue. So it seems as though the timescale is slipping out there.
“Now I would be surprised to see now any quantitative decision taken on the matter before the next election.”
George Eustace of the British ‘no’ campaign, said: “If Tony Blair has got any sense that all he will look at this and think if you cannot win a referendum in Sweden where opinion is generally in history been that little bit more pro-European than in Britain, then there is absolutely no chance of winning one here.”
Conservative party Treasury spokesman Michael Howard said he was pleased for the people of Sweden.
“I hope the lesson which will be drawn in this country is that people will realise that the question of whether Britain should join the euro should be seen for the dead duck that it is.
“I hope that our government will now concentrate on putting right its failures on hospitals, schools, and law and order which matter so much to the people of our country.”
