British businessmen urged to back euro

British manufacturing is in ‘‘meltdown’’ and urgently needs the shot in the arm which membership of the European single currency would represent, a senior union leader declared today.

Addressing a fringe meeting at the Labour Party’s local government and women’s conference in Cardiff, Sir Ken Jackson, leader of the 1.1 million-strong Amicus union - formerly the AEEU - called on businessmen to be more vocal in making the case for euro membership.