Conservative Party Launches Anti-Euro Campaign

The Conservative Party took to street Saturday in its campaign to "Save the Pound," trying to convince voters that the best way to block Britain's entry to the euro will come in the general election, and not an "unfair" referendum.

The Conservative Party stepped up their campaign at more than 1, 000 stalls in 400 constituencies after Prime Minister Tony Blair announced Wednesday that it would make a decision on holding a referendum on the single currency within two years of the election -- widely expected in May.

Party leader William Hague said the government would choose the question and the timing of the referendum to favor entry, though ministers have promised the question will be fair and the timing based on economic considerations. "I say they will never get a fair referendum," he said.

Hague told a crowd of 80 people in his North Yorkshire constituency of Richmond that losing the pound would mean higher taxes and that the Conservatives are the only party committed to keeping the pound throughout the next parliament."We risk losing the right to run our own affairs in this country.... We want to work with our neighbors, we don't want to be governed by our neighbors," he said.

Labor member of parliament Fraser Kemp said, "Voters don't support William Hague's right-wing policies and they don't share his extreme views on the euro."

People's Daily Online --- http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/