End euro ‘hokey cokey’ says union boss

A leading union official has urged the British Government to end the ‘‘hokey cokey’’ over the euro and announce its intention to hold a referendum.

Roger Lyons, general secretary of Amicus, said the ‘‘in-out, in-out’’ speculation over UK entry into the euro was holding back manufacturing.

He was to tell his union’s annual conference in Blackpool: ‘‘More than 10,000 jobs are being lost from manufacturing every month as a result of the overvalued pound against the euro.

‘‘The speculation and leaks over the euro poll is shaking manufacturing about.’’

The Government would bring much needed relief to British industry if it announced the date of a referendum because manufacturing firms needed to know the timetable, said Mr Lyons.