What Mandy Did Next

‘ANYONE who believed the guff coming out of No.10 that Tony Blair and Gordon Brown were as one on the euro only had a few days to enjoy their fantasy world.

Muck or brass?

Peter Mandelson made sure of that, shattering the uneasy truce between the two architects of New Labour with a stinging attack on the Chancellor.

In an interview with journalists at a West End restaurant, Mandelson claimed the Prime Minister had been outmanoeuvred by Brown on the issue of the single European currency.

He said a failure to call a referendum on the issue before the next election would damage the Labour party and do ”incalculable” harm to Britain’s trade.

The Government has said it will announce on June 9 whether the famous five tests for entry have been met – although it is a foregone conclusion that the answer is no.

That was reinforced by Brown last night in an interview with the Times, in which he set out a list of the reforms he wanted Europe to make before entry could be considered.

It had, says the paper, ”the clear implication that it would be some years before Britain’s interests would be served by adopting the euro.”

The Telegraph suggests that this will only be if, or when, Brown replaces Blair as Prime Minister.

And that, according to polling figures in this morning’s Guardian, is a big ‘if’ with 43% of voters less likely to vote for a Brown-led Labour party and only 28% more likely.

Even among Labour supporters, Brown would be only a marginal electoral asset, with 37% more likely to vote Labour and 36% less.

All of which is good news for the rest of us, who can bask in the warmth of St Tony’s reflected glory for many years to come. Hurrah!

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Posted: 21st, May 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink