OPINION polls show that most people want to have more detailed information about the euro so that they can make up their own minds how to vote in a referendum.

Yet, as the Government builds up its campaign to take us into the single currency, Tony Blair is misleading the British public in his recent speeches.

Recent events have shown clearly that it is not necessary for Britain to join the euro for us to be a constructive and influential member of the EU.

The UK is the fourth largest economy in the world and we trade more with countries outside the eurozone than with those inside.

Furthermore, there are some real differences between our economy and those of the major continental countries which make it important for the UK to have, on occasions, different economic policies. Locked into the euro, we would lose economic control of our own affairs.

Four attempts at currency stabilisation -- from the Gold Standard to the more recent ERM when the pound shadowed the deutschemark -- have been tried in the last century. They all failed. But at least we could get out. But, if we join the euro, there will be no way out.

When (not if) the UK economy moves in a different direction from that of our EU partners, and the Government can no longer alter interest rates, print money or even borrow more, then something else has to move, and the only economic variable left is jobs.

The price will be paid in business failures and increased unemployment, as happened with the disastrous ERM experiment.

The "no" campaign is a non-party political grouping formed by Business for Sterling and New Europe which supports British membership of the EU and believes that the pound should be kept for the foreseeable future.

We seek a fair and open debate on the euro single currency experiment.

David Briggs

North West chairman

"No" campaign,

3rd Floor, North Square,

11-13 Spear Street

Manchester M1 1JU