The Lib Dems ditch the euro

The conference season has begun, in the backdrop of a worsening financial crisis and still abysmal poll ratings for the governing Labour party. The surprise came this week-end from a complete policy U-turn on the part of the Liberal Democrats, traditionally the most pro-European party in the UK, and the only one consistently supporting entry in the eurozone. In an interview with the Observer, Vince Cable, its Treasury spokesman, dropped the commitment to organise a referendum on the euro, arguing that it could not be won anyway and saying that they would not push for entry anymore. The reason for this change is purely electoral: the Lib Dems' strongholds in the South-West are threatened by the Conservatives, and the Lib Dem voters there are more eurosceptic than the party leadership. This decision reflects sadly on the state of British opinion towards the EU...