Brown will keep the pound

"The pound will never be ditched in favour of the euro while Gordon Brown holds the reins of power, his aides insisted last night.  Scotland on Sunday can reveal that although Treasury officials are already reviewing the infamous "five tests" devised by Brown to decide whether to join the single currency, the Chancellor has ruled it out.  Brown will seize the opportunity to scupper one of Tony Blair's remaining political ambitions by ruling that he will shun the euro as it would critically damage Britain's economic competitiveness."

Comments

[Denis Cooper]

He is totally untrustworthy, of course. But if he made a clear public statement it would be more difficult to go back on it, so as a patriot I would welcome that.

[wasp]

Nonsense Brown doesn't want the Euro because he doesn't want to pass control over anything onto anyone.

[k young]

Nonsense Brown doesn't want the Euro because he's trying to scotch scotch independence.

[Sally Roberts]

He's also trying to appeal to disaffected Labour voters who might be thinking of switching to the BNP or UKIP!

[Denis Cooper]

You could have said that about any number of British politicians, who have nevertheless passed control of 80% of our laws to Brussels. But Brown has always been acutely aware that his power and that of his party depends on having a strong economy to finance his largesse, something which previous Labour governments tended to forget. The euro has always been primarily a political project, and none of the theoretical economic advantages have been realised in practice - the reverse, in fact:

http://www.thebusinessonline.com/Document.aspx?id=02E18445-B7C5-4A6A-B203-3816D596EB63

[tapestry]

Brown has altered his position on the Euro in the past, and could do so again. He actively campaigned for it in 2004, and said he would try again in 4 years time.

Brown needs to keep the backing of Murdoch, and while he might try for a 'I won't go for the Euro' headline, he will be talking terms for the delivery of Murdoch's backing. Murdoch is known to run NuLab's European Policies.

Brown has been talking of changing the way Britain is governed. This was reported as PR in The Mirror. He's completely untrustworthy, has a record of enforcing retrospective laws - and only knows one guiding principle - Gordon Brown and power. Everything else is tradeable and expendable.

[James Maskell]

Seeing how Brown was so reluctant over talk of the Euro in the past many years back when he set the five tests, Im not hugely suprized. I thought it was basically Brown policy anyway?

[michael]

I agree not a huge surprise. On dateline London a French commentator suggested that DC would be better for Europe, even though we are withdrawing from the EPP. On a different subject could you all support my idea on Web Cameron thanks a lot!!!!

http://www.webcameron.org.uk/blogs/1459

[Jamie Oliver's Sausage]

>>I agree not a huge surprise. On dateline London a French commentator suggested that DC would be better for Europe, even though we are withdrawing from the EPP. On a different subject could you all support my idea on Web Cameron thanks a lot!!!!<<

Well surprise surprise. Only last night a fanatical Cameroon was telling me that there's nothing wrong with the Tory Party being more left wing than Labour so I guess it won't upset his faction if Cameron goes the whole hog by being more Eurofanatic than Brown.

I've never tried to post anything on Cameron's site. I assume that any strong criticisms are censored off.

[michael]

To be fair to Cameron I don’t think the French bloke liked brown very much anyway because he has never given an interview with foreign journalist. You may not like Cameron but please give your support to my campaign idea; I think it’s for a good cause!

http://www.webcameron.org.uk/blogs/1459

[James Maskell]

JOS, very critical messages are removed. They allow some criticism, the basic ones which they've responded to in the past. But from those who take a deep interest in politics and criticise much sharper, those posts wont stay long.

[Jamie Oliver's Sausage]

Thanks James. Just as I suspected.

That being the case I have no intention of wasting my time with a site that obviously amounts to Cameron's personal love-in.

[ukfirst]

As we slide ever deeper into the superstate there will come a time (not too far off) when we will simply be told that we are now obliged to adopt the Euro to comply with existing or fresh treaty obligations.

Then Brown (or Cameron for that matter) will simply say there is now no alternative and it is for our long-term good.

[Denis Cooper]

Especially if we'd accepted Article I-8 of the Constitution:

"The symbols of the Union

The flag of the Union shall be a circle of twelve golden stars on a blue background.

The anthem of the Union shall be based on the ‘Ode to Joy’ from the Ninth Symphony by Ludwig van Beethoven.

The motto of the Union shall be: ‘United in diversity’.

The currency of the Union shall be the euro.

Europe day shall be celebrated on 9 May throughout the Union."

[Anne Palmer]

If the Conservative Party Leadership were to read,
Brussels, 10 November 2006
COM(2006) 671 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL,THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, THE EUROPEAN ECONOMIC AND SOCIAL COMMITTEE, THE COMMITTEE OF THE REGIONS AND THE EUROPEAN CENTRAL BANK. Fourth report on the practical preparations for the future enlargement of the euro area, they may read that there are no arrangments at present for the UK (or Denmark) to join the Euro for both have an alleged 'opt-out'. Accepting a new treaty (a Constitution under another name) may well insist that we join whether we want to or not. So, for now, the Conservative leader can say with confidence that under his leadership and Mr Browns, this country will not join the Euro.

[John Irvine]

It's time the leadership of this party recognised that the ratchet effect of the EU is the greatest menace to threaten British liberty since the Nazi invasion plans of 1940.

What are they doing about it? Damn all?

[Jon White]

Missing the point aren't we? I have little respect for Brown, but he is a good politician. (Look at how he has spun the lie of a sound economy under his disasterous stewardship).

He has recognised that an anti-Euro stance will win votes. For that I can only admire him.

What a shame that people in our party don't learn from that.

[ukfirst]

JW. Sorry, what exactly are we supposed to admire Brown for and learn to do the same?

[Jon White]

ukfirst: For recognizing that the voter will vote for a policy saying 'never' to the Euro.