Brown buries euro to capture sceptic voters

Biscuitman · 19-11-2006, 10:59 AM

Wonder how long the 5 economic tests will last when Brown vacates No11....

http://news.scotsman.com/index.cfm?id=1712702006

Quote:

Brown buries euro to capture sceptic voters
BRIAN BRADY WESTMINSTER EDITOR

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.

Senior aides last night confirmed that, almost eight years after 12 European Union colleagues ditched their own notes and coins and began trading with euros, Brown still had no intention of taking Britain down the same route and was instead preparing to rule out membership for the duration of his own premiership if, as expected, he succeeds Blair next year.

"Gordon has made it clear, repeatedly, that this will be decided on the economics," a Treasury source said last night. "He has always harboured doubts over whether the time would ever be right to enter. This was last looked at three years ago and I don't see us getting any closer now. I think Gordon's going to be happy to kick this way past the long grass for as long as he's around."

One of the leading members of the pro-euro movement, Scottish peer Lord Foulkes, last night said the UK had missed a "brief window of opportunity" to enter the euro. But he accepted that staying out was the correct decision.

"It's not a live issue at the moment," said Foulkes, a former Labour MP and member of the advisory board of Britain in Europe. "To be honest, there is no enthusiasm or desire among even the most ardent in the movement to raise it again.

"Our economy is doing fine and there's a fairly obvious signal of that in the consistently strong performance of the pound against the euro."

The euro provoked one of the most damaging internal disputes during Blair's first term in office, as Brown insisted that the Chancellor should have the final say over whether or not to make the historic move.

The Labour hierarchy eventually managed a truce in the feuding with the judgment that the decision should be made on the basis of Brown's five tests, designed to gauge the degree to which the British economy had converged with the rest of the eurozone. Brown subsequently vetoed euro membership after concluding that Britain had missed most of the targets, rating compatibility of business cycles and economic structures, flexibility, conditions for long-term investment decisions, and the impact on financial services, growth, stability and employment.

But the Chancellor must now produce an updated assessment of the tests in his Budget next spring, in line with a commitment made three years ago.

Brown's closest ally, Ed Balls, who is now economic secretary to the Treasury, said: "The government's policy on membership of the single currency was set out by the Chancellor in his statement to the House of Commons in October 1997, and again in the Chancellor's statement on the five tests assessment in June 2003.

"The Chancellor announced in Budget 2006 that 'the government does not propose a euro assessment to be initiated at the time of this Budget'. The Treasury will again review the situation at Budget time next year as required by the Chancellor's June 2003 statement."

But the cross-party support for entering the euro has dramatically declined in the years since Blair enthusiastically fronted the pressure group Britain in Europe, which was expressly designed to campaign for membership of the single currency.

During the last election campaign, Blair himself acknowledged that the drive was running out of steam, observing that "the economics aren't in the right place" for Britain to abandon the pound.

Labour's manifesto pledged to maintain its "common-sense" policy on the euro, but did not commit the party to adopting the currency. The party insisted that the national economic interest, and the five tests, would determine any decision - and promised that nothing would be done until a recommendation to join was backed by a vote in Parliament and a referendum in the country as a whole.

The shift came after Kenneth Clarke, the most prominent Tory euro-enthusiast, admitted he had been wrong in his assumption of the currency's impact.

Although some larger UK businesses are already trading in the euro, a poll earlier this year revealed that support for euro entry among medium-sized British companies had hit an all-time low.

Research from business and financial advisers Grant Thornton showed only 35% medium-sized firms wanted to see the euro adopted, down from 42% last year, and 50% in 2003.

eublues · 19-11-2006, 11:04 AM

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 whoever will simply say there is now no alternative and it is for our long-term good.

SGK · 19-11-2006, 11:14 AM

The EU constitution would move us to a point where having a separate currency would be considered by the establishment officially as a 'derrogation', in other words, an undesirable exception.

mkpdavies · 19-11-2006, 11:23 AM

Only 792 people give a toss anyway.

Get the mint sauce ready I say.

Bluemerle · 19-11-2006, 06:19 PM

I know someone who believes that Brown will deliver us out of the EU. :wink:

Hartlepool · 19-11-2006, 06:21 PM

GL-W perhaps?

Britannist · 19-11-2006, 09:42 PM

Below are the views on the EU of the man regarded as Gordon Brown's closest political ally:

Ed Balls MP, the Economic Secretary (in the europhile Blair Labour Government) who is widely regarded as Chancellor Gordon Brown’s ‘right-hand man’, has said that the EU should be given more power. Surprisingly, he also claims David Cameron, the pro-EU and anti-UKIP Conservative leader, is the most eurosceptic Conservative leader so far.

It had been thought that Balls was mildly eurosceptic in view of his support for Gordon Brown, who stopped Blair from recommending (in 2003) that the UK should join the euro.

Patrick Wintour wrote in the Guardian edition of 1.11.2006 (page 4, brief extracts) “Ed Balls will say today that it is in the UK’s national interest to collaborate more closely with the EU and that Brussels (the EU) should have more powers to deal with issues such as climate change and the single (EU) market.”

Ed Balls told the Guardian on 31.10.2006 “On the economy, the social dimension, the environment, enlargement and foreign policy, europe is going to play a bigger role in the future. On these issues, it is in the British national interest to collaborate in a closer way in europe in the future. A policy of positive european engagement is a critical stepping stone to combating climate change. It is only by being fully engaged at the european level that we will be able to do that.”

Mr. Wintour, who wrote that Balls was likely to be a key figure in planning Labour’s strategy for the next General Election, commented “Mr. Ball’s intervention will be closely noted in european capitals anxious that Mr. Brown’s opposition to British membership of the euro and harmonised tax policies presages a deeper euroscepticism if he takes over at Number 10. Paris and Berlin are eager to understand the principles of a British foreign policy under Mr. Brown – especially his attitude to the EU. Mr. Balls was one of the most influential figures in the British decision not to join the euro. His remarks, in a Fabian lecture, come as tensions over the government’s european policies are growing in the Foreign Office.”

Balls told the Guardian that he thought the EU Commission should have “stronger powers to enforce an effective emissions trading scheme with the EU including more powers to allocate permits to pollute between nations. The Guardian claimed that the present EU carbon emissions trading scheme “has been hampered by individual countries being too generous in allocating permits to their industries”.

Ed Balls also claimed that the Conservatives under David Cameron’s leadership are eurosceptic – something which will surprise members of the anti-EU UK Independence Party and many media commentators who regard David Cameron as the most left wing and pro-EU leader the Conservatives have had since the disastrous election-losing Heath.

Balls said that Conservative euroscepticism “precluded them from having any serious influence over the framing of effective international action to fight climate change.”

* Balls is Labour MP for the northern constituency of Normanton – a seat to be abolished by the boundary commissioner. He is currently looking for a new constituency (the one held by Claire Short - now an independent - is looking for a candidate).

Biscuitman · 19-11-2006, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Ed Balls MP, has said that the EU should be given more power

Thats another lamp post I'll have to reserve for hanging the traitor.

Hung by the Balls?

Robin · 19-11-2006, 11:46 PM

No dont hang them from lamposts--put a bungee rope round their necks and drop them from a great height so either the fall will kill them or the noose will. Take bets on the method of their demise.

SGK · 20-11-2006, 10:37 AM

I do not know how these people think. I really, really struggle to see where on earth these opinions come from. I am totally baffled.

19-11-2006, 11:23 AM	#4 (permalink)
mkpdavies Uber Member Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Woking Posts: 30,820	Only 792 people give a toss anyway. Get the mint sauce ready I say. __________________ http://brits4ronpaul.blogspot.com/ http://wokinglibertarians.blogspot.com/ http://lpuk.org My ignore list Labour, Blue Labour, Lib Dems

19-11-2006, 09:42 PM	#7 (permalink)
Britannist Uber Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: London Posts: 22,896	Brown ally wants 'closer links' with EU Below are the views on the EU of the man regarded as Gordon Brown's closest political ally: Ed Balls MP, the Economic Secretary (in the europhile Blair Labour Government) who is widely regarded as Chancellor Gordon Brown’s ‘right-hand man’, has said that the EU should be given more power. Surprisingly, he also claims David Cameron, the pro-EU and anti-UKIP Conservative leader, is the most eurosceptic Conservative leader so far. It had been thought that Balls was mildly eurosceptic in view of his support for Gordon Brown, who stopped Blair from recommending (in 2003) that the UK should join the euro. Patrick Wintour wrote in the Guardian edition of 1.11.2006 (page 4, brief extracts) “Ed Balls will say today that it is in the UK’s national interest to collaborate more closely with the EU and that Brussels (the EU) should have more powers to deal with issues such as climate change and the single (EU) market.” Ed Balls told the Guardian on 31.10.2006 “On the economy, the social dimension, the environment, enlargement and foreign policy, europe is going to play a bigger role in the future. On these issues, it is in the British national interest to collaborate in a closer way in europe in the future. A policy of positive european engagement is a critical stepping stone to combating climate change. It is only by being fully engaged at the european level that we will be able to do that.” Mr. Wintour, who wrote that Balls was likely to be a key figure in planning Labour’s strategy for the next General Election, commented “Mr. Ball’s intervention will be closely noted in european capitals anxious that Mr. Brown’s opposition to British membership of the euro and harmonised tax policies presages a deeper euroscepticism if he takes over at Number 10. Paris and Berlin are eager to understand the principles of a British foreign policy under Mr. Brown – especially his attitude to the EU. Mr. Balls was one of the most influential figures in the British decision not to join the euro. His remarks, in a Fabian lecture, come as tensions over the government’s european policies are growing in the Foreign Office.” Balls told the Guardian that he thought the EU Commission should have “stronger powers to enforce an effective emissions trading scheme with the EU including more powers to allocate permits to pollute between nations. The Guardian claimed that the present EU carbon emissions trading scheme “has been hampered by individual countries being too generous in allocating permits to their industries”. Ed Balls also claimed that the Conservatives under David Cameron’s leadership are eurosceptic – something which will surprise members of the anti-EU UK Independence Party and many media commentators who regard David Cameron as the most left wing and pro-EU leader the Conservatives have had since the disastrous election-losing Heath. Balls said that Conservative euroscepticism “precluded them from having any serious influence over the framing of effective international action to fight climate change.” * Balls is Labour MP for the northern constituency of Normanton – a seat to be abolished by the boundary commissioner. He is currently looking for a new constituency (the one held by Claire Short - now an independent - is looking for a candidate).

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19-11-2006, 11:04 AM	#2 (permalink)
eublues Uber Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 3,100	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 whoever will simply say there is now no alternative and it is for our long-term good.

19-11-2006, 11:14 AM	#3 (permalink)
SGK Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,237	The EU constitution would move us to a point where having a separate currency would be considered by the establishment officially as a 'derrogation', in other words, an undesirable exception.

19-11-2006, 06:19 PM	#5 (permalink)
Bluemerle Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Dorset. Posts: 3,252	I know someone who believes that Brown will deliver us out of the EU. :wink:

19-11-2006, 06:21 PM	#6 (permalink)
Hartlepool Uber Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: North East England Posts: 6,785 Party: Free England Party	GL-W perhaps?

19-11-2006, 11:46 PM	#9 (permalink)
Robin Senior Member Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 924	No dont hang them from lamposts--put a bungee rope round their necks and drop them from a great height so either the fall will kill them or the noose will. Take bets on the method of their demise.

20-11-2006, 10:37 AM	#10 (permalink)
SGK Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 1,237	I do not know how these people think. I really, really struggle to see where on earth these opinions come from. I am totally baffled.