Blow for Blair over the euro

12 April 2012

TONY BLAIR suffered a setback on Thursday night as Britain's second biggest union announced it was rethinking its support for the euro. Amicus boss Derek Simpson - the Left-winger who toppled the prime Minister's closest union ally, Sir Ken Jackson - declared that he would let members decide on the issue in a ballot.

The move is a blow for those in the Government who had hoped to stage a euro referendum next year. At present, two of the big four unions - Amicus and the GMB - back the euro, while the other two - Unison and the TGWU - are against. If Amicus switched sides, it would be a massive boost for the No campaign.

With GMB boss John Edmonds focusing all his resources on public services, it would also leave pro-euro campaigners with no big union backers. The pro-euro Britain in Europe campaign has relied heavily on Amicus for funding.

Simpson said he wanted to let members decide if they should carry on funding Britain in Europe. 'I want the union's money spent on the members, not euro propaganda,' he told BBC Radio 4's The World at One programme.

His decision was welcomed by the No campaign. It said an ICM poll three years ago revealed two-thirds of Amicus members were against the single currency. No campaign director George Eustice said: ' The euro lobby is rapidly losing the support of the trade union movement, as members start to focus on the impact it would have on jobs and living standards.'

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