The United Kingdom Should Not Join the Euro

The infamous Five Tests instituted by Brown have been met. That they are meaningless and their sole purpose was to concentrate further power in his nail-bitten hands during his years of destructive waiting does not detract from the political impact of convergence etcetera occurring. And occurring just as sterling comes under enormous pressure from the effects of a decade of economic and financial irresponsibility under New Labour.

Arguments under the ports in a storm category, coupled with a soundly based fear that United Kingdom finances are as exposed as the United Kingdom housing market, will come from the Unionist (European) faction, which is headed by the Leader himself. (cf the EU regionalisation of energy policy expressed in selling off nuclear power sites and development to France, with frilly bits to Spain. Not to mention denied referendums on the European constitution and its ratification by Executive prerogative as that has become too repetitive to be worth it).

The United Kingdom can meet Maastricht requirements at once. The European Union can waive waiting periods as it chooses. Let us hope it does not choose to have Brown or his acolytes as insiders on Euro decisions. After all, the purpose of the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union is to wreck, not to strengthen its objectives.

Brown is desperate though. Desperate to survive and have the focus taken of his failure; desperate to retain power. The row that would break out over Euro-joining would mask his political shipwreck and mask his technical incompetence.