Brown in 'hands off' warning on euro

GORDON BROWN today issued a 'hands off' warning to Cabinet ministers who claimed Britain could join the single currency even if his five economic tests were not met in full. In a clear rebuke to senior colleagues, including party chairman Charles Clarke, who hinted the decision would be partly political, the Chancellor declared that his tests were pre-eminent.

His intervention, contained in a Treasury paper giving the most detailed description yet of how the tests will be assessed, left no doubt that Brown regards his own verdict on whether Britain dumps the pound as final. 'Often the tests are described as the Treasury's tests or the Government's tests, but neither description does justice to their crucial role in assessing whether EMU membership is in the British national economic interest,' the paper said. 'The five tests go to the heart of what is required for the long-term future of the UK economy.'

Today's publication was seen as a defiant strike against a trio of pro-euro ministers who earlier this year attempted to suggest the Treasury would not be the sole arbiter.

In an interview, Clarke enraged the Chancellor by claiming the assessments could never be unambiguous. Robin Cook, the Leader of the Commons, declared that the Government would have to weigh up both the economic and the political implications. Peter Hain, the Europe Minister, also claimed that joining would be a 'political judgment on the basis of an economic assessment'.

Today's paper was issued in response to a request from a Commons committee which is holding an inquiry into the five tests.