LETTERS War chest needed
Sir: Peter Oborne's article (`Marching against EMU', 20 June) was unduly pes- simistic and rather misses the point. Personally, I draw considerable comfort from the fact that the pro-sterling campaign will not be led by Lord Owen. From his past performance one can only conclude that whatever the opposite of the Midas touch is, he most assuredly has it. And besides, he is greatly loathed by many in the left-wing half of British society, whose votes the pro-sterling campaigners desperately need in large numbers if they are to have any chance of winning the campaign in 2001 or 2002. The forces for the status quo should not be too tightly dragooned by a unitary fig- ure, lest they splinter apart with disastrous results for the campaign. (Lord Owen's judgment, for once, is correct about that.) What is important is that a common trust nd or, if you prefer, 'war chest' is estab- lished soon to help ensure sufficient rev- enue for the three- or four-year campaign to come. All those who in any way seek to promote the future of sterling and put the case against EMU should be able to draw upon this fund, subject to the agreement of a prominent bipartisan group of trustees. (Who better a candidate than The Specta- tor's sainted editor, or indeed Mr Charles Moore of the Daily Telegraph?) What is absolutely certain is that as of January the European Commission (and its sYmpathisers) will have carte blanche to spend vast sums of money 'informing' us about the single currency. And one can rest assured that the BBC will see fit to 'enlight- en' us on the back of this massive propa- ganda campaign. So, to paraphrase a great man who never wanted Britain to have any part of the European project, 'Rich sceptics, give us the tools and we will finish the job!'
Andrew Macdonald 52 Sinclair Road, London W14
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