Alexander ‘relieved’ Britain didn’t join the euro
by Peter Wozniak
Danny Alexander has expressed relief at the UK not being in the euro during the economic crisis.
The chief secretary to the treasury revealed that he believed the pound’s independence from the eurozone gave the government more freedom to act to ensure the recovery.
Mr Alexander said: “In the current economic circumstances I’m relieved that we are not in the euro.
“I think that the flexibilities that we have as an economy are helping our economy to recover.”
He did however insist that joining the single currency remained a goal under Lib Dem policy, though in much more cautious terms, arguing: “I still think there’s a case for that in the long term, but that’s a long way off.”
The Liberal Democrats have long been the most pro-European of the three biggest UK parties, and have until now consistently argued for Britain’s entry into the euro.
Mr Alexander appears to have had a change of heart since he began working at the Treasury, saying: “The fact that the pound has fallen has a strengthening effect on external trade and that’s one of the drivers for the economy that we need.
“I think that means the right decision on the euro was made in the end.”
Europe has until now been an issue kept deliberately at arm’s length by the coalition government given the two party’s wildly divergent views.
