Financial Times
Blair confident of winning
EUro Referendum

Brian Groom and Philip Stephens in London
May 24 2001

T
ony Blair, the UK prime minister, asserted he could win a referendum on joining the euro and pledged to "carry on vigorously putting the case for Britain's active participation in Europe".

Mr Blair, who is campaigning for the re-election of his Labour party in parliamentary elections on June 7, made the comments in an interview with the Financial Times on the eve of a speech in Scotland in which he will make the "patriotic" case for engagement in Europe.

Mr Blair's confidence about winning the referendum flies in the face of opinion polls which consistently show at least two-thirds of UK voters opposed to giving up the pound for the euro.

However, opinion polls also indicate the Labour party has a comfortable lead over the Conservative opposition, which is suspicious of the European Union and hostile to the euro, in the election campaign.

Asked whether he could persuade voters to support British membership, he said: "Of course - provided you mount the argument well, provided we are setting out why it is economically and politically in Britain's interest."

Mr Blair said he believed that, in the debate about the EU's future, his preference for closer co-operation between nation states rather than a federal system would prevail.

"I think that is a debate that we will in the end win. It is time we showed more confidence as a nation in arguing the case for a strong Britain in a strong Europe," he said. But there should be no "artificial limits" on further integration.

In his comments on the euro, Mr Blair appeared to be at odds with his finance minister, Gordon Brown. Labour has promised an assessment within two years to judge whether the economic conditions are right for joining the euro. He is expected to call the referendum if the result is positive.

The UK Treasury has published five economic tests that will form the assessment. Mr Brown said on Wednesday that the Treasury was the "guardian" of the tests.

Mr Blair agreed, but made clear that did not amount to a veto over the issue for Mr Brown. "I am sure myself and the chancellor would discuss it very carefully. You can rest assured of that. You take the decision collectively as a government," he said.

Mr Brown also said the assessment would be made on what is best for "the national economic interest". But Mr Blair said if the referendum went ahead, he would mount a broad political and constitutional campaign rather than a narrowly economic one.

Mr Blair also made clear he would serve as prime minister for the duration of the next parliament if he is re-elected on June 7.

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