Pressure not to join Euro mounts in Britain

Pressure for Britain not to join the single currency is growing with one of the country's biggest unions saying today that public spending would be cut by £10bn (€16bn) if the UK joined.

Unison said the impact on public services should be taken into account before any referendum was held.

A new pamphlet sent to the union’s 1,250 branches said the ease with which shoppers have taken to the new currency was outweighed by the threat to UK control over interest rates which could hit jobs.

Membership of the euro would threaten public services as much as increased privatisation, Unison warned.

‘‘It would be a disaster for our public services if we had to cut public spending by such large amounts when the Chancellor has only just pumped in huge investment to rebuild our hospitals and schools,’’ said Unison general secretary Dave Prentis.

‘‘We are not anti-Europe, but anti the single currency on its current terms.’’

The pamphlet said: ‘‘The UK economy is stable, with low interest rates and inflation. Joining the single currency would be a gamble, with potentially disastrous consequences.’’