The UK’s Union partners have welcomed this week’s clarification by the British government

Date: 30/10/1997

of its stance on joining EMU. British Finance Minister Gordon Brown said his government was willing to sign up to the single currency if it proved itself beneficial, but not before the next elections in 2002. While some expressed disappointment at the delay, French Foreign Affairs Minister Pierre Moscovici said that the UK had, for the first time, taken a positive stance on Europe and the euro.