31/05/00 - Young people show the way: Chris writes to The Birmingham Post

Sir, - There is one important fact that Europhiles should note: The majority of young adults are opposed to Britain joining the euro.

In a recent poll conducted by Quids In for the Conservative Party, it was revealed that three out of five 18 to 24-year-olds are opposed to joining the single currency.

That means that 60 per cent of young Britons can identify with Conservative Party policy on this issue.

Such results do not come as much of a surprise to me.

At a recent Keep the Pound rally in Birmingham, addressed by William Hague, a large proportion of the audience were young people.

In my own experience, I have been struck by how the majority of people I meet, not just friends and close acquaintances, are either concerned, sceptical or actually hostile about the prospect of Britain scrapping the Pound. This is true of young people right across the country, from all socio-economic groups.

Yes, many young people are apathetic about the political process in general, but few do not have a view on the single currency.

They are more aware than any other age group that the modern economy is dismantling borders; it is as easy to trade with businesses in California as in Calais making membership of the single currency unnecessary.

Right across the party political spectrum, young people are in favour of retaining our own currency. Europhiles would be wise to listen to the voice of Britain's youth.

After all, we stand to lose more than anyone if we are tied into a single currency zone with undesirable uniform interest rates, low growth and an unaccountable European Central Bank.

More information about the movement can be found at http://www.keepthepound.org.uk/.

Or email Quids-In@conservative-party.org.uk

CHRIS D KELLY
Chairman,
Wolverhampton Conservative Future.