William Hague –

"At the next election there will be a clear choice. On one side, will be the Labour Party and their friends the Liberal Democrats who want to scrap the Pound as soon as they think they can get away with it. On the other side, will stand the Conservative Party - pledged to keep the Pound because we have confidence in the ability of Britain to prosper with her own currency. All the opinion polls show that the vast majority of British people agree with us that we should be in Europe, but keep the Pound. I will represent those common sense instincts. That is why as part of our Common Sense Revolution we have issued a Sterling Guarantee that means that people can be sure that a vote for the Conservative Party at the next election is a vote to Keep the Pound."

In late February, William Hague will take the Battle to keep the Pound to the people of Britain. Ever since being elected, Labour have arrogantly and contemptuously dismissed the views of the British people, branding anyone who wants Britain to keep her own currency as an "extremist". For the next four months, Mr Hague will be touring the country in a flatbed truck, addressing Keep the Pound meetings in towns and villages across the UK. Whilst Labour continue to insult the vast majority of the British people, the Conservative Party will stand up for their common sense view that Britain should be in Europe, but keep the pound.

The tour will highlight a key difference between the Conservative Party and the Labour Party. We have every confidence in Britain’s ability to prosper with her own currency, and fear that joining the Euro could damage Britain’s economy. Labour, on the other hand, have signed up in principle to scrapping the pound just as soon as they think they can get away with it. The Conservative Party is concerned about the constitutional implications of scrapping the pound, especially as the President of the European Commission has described monetary union and political union as "two sides of the same coin".

But Tony Blair says he has resolved the constitutional issues in favour of scrapping the pound, even though he refuses to discuss what these issues are. Whereas we are pledged at the next election to keep the Pound, the Prime Minister says he plans to advocate joining the Euro soon after the next election, should Labour win. Let there be no confusion. Labour are not cooling on the Euro. The whole Cabinet has signed up to scrapping the Pound, and the only split is over how much of the truth they are prepared to tell the British people.

Sir Stanley Kalms, Chairman of Dixons
"Joining the Euro will mean higher taxes, more regulation and a loss of economic control - all immensely damaging to Britain's business interests."

Lord Hanson, Founder of Hanson Group
"Two thirds of business oppose the Euro and they do so for very valid reasons. The case against the single currency is compelling."

Ruth Lea, Head of Policy Institute of Directors
"To be successful, British business needs economic stability. Such stability would, at least for the foreseeable future, be destroyed by entry into the Euro. For business's sake, therefore, the UK must keep the Pound."

Luke Johnson, Chairman of Belgo Group Plc and former Chairman of Pizza Express
"It is simply wrong to say that business opinion is signed up to scrapping the Pound. On the contrary, I find increasing numbers of businessmen who understand that there are overwhelming advantages to keeping our currency."

UK output could be reduced by £9 billion
UK output could be reduced by £9 billion through the loss of control of monetary policy if we joined the single currency, according to a study published by the Bank of England.

GB exports to Europe are less than a fifth of GDP
British exports to Euroland account for less than a fifth of British GDP. In other words, more than four-fifths of the British economy is not involved in trade with Euroland.

The British economy moves in step with the US, not Europe
The British economy and British interest rates and exchange rates, are more in step with those of the US, than with those of the Continent.

The City increased its share of financial business within Europe
Far from suffering outside the Euro, the City has actually increased its share of financial business within Europe since the currency was launched last January. The former Lord Mayor of London, Lord Levene, said that banks and brokers are: ‘certainly not suffering and, if anything, increasing [their] market share.’

Prodi: European Commission is "the Government of Europe".
On 27 October 1999, The Times quoted Commission President, Romano Prodi describing his European Commission as the "government of Europe". He said: "But what is the Commission? We are here to take binding decisions as an executive power. If you don't like the term government for this, what other term do you suggest? Consultative commission? I speak of a European government because we take government decisions."

93% of French tourists: 'spending the Pound' is a highlight of visiting Britain
93% of French tourists cite 'spending the pound' as one of their favourite aspects of a visit to Britain.

(Source: Liberation poll, Dec 98)

Quite simple really, I wish to keep the pound. Unlike our European partners (I'm English not European!!) we have a booming world trade. We have a natural survival technique and we will survive quite well with our pound.