Blair risks fanning euro flames

Tony Blair may have added fuel to the euro-flames

By BBC News Online's political correspondent Nick Assinder.

Tony Blair has attempted to regain the political initiative by insisting there is no cabinet split over Europe, and brushing aside as "media hype" his disastrous Women's Institute performance.

He insisted the government was determined to get across the positive message of what it has achieved and concentrate on the real issues.

But by stating he would lead a powerful pro-euro campaign if the government eventually decided to join, he may have added fuel to the flames.

His words, seen by some as his most positive on the euro for a long time, came as Foreign Secretary Robin Cook also made it clear he would not row back on his strongly pro-euro language.

And they followed reports that the prime minister had ordered Mr Cook and Chancellor Gordon Brown - who is still blowing cool on the single currency - to stop squabbling over the issue.

Mr Blair spoke out after the latest row to buffet his government saw claims of a widening cabinet split over the government's attitude to the euro.

Euro fightback

Chancellor Gordon Brown was said to be reluctant to have the issue raised for fear it would be a vote loser, while Mr Cook and others were claimed to be leading a pro-euro fightback.

Gordon Brown is said to be dismayed at pro-euro campaign

But the prime minister, speaking at the start of a European summit in Portugal, slapped down talk of a cabinet split.

He re-stated the government's policy that it was in favour of joining so long as the five key economic conditions were met.

But when asked whether he would be enthusiastic about Britain joining the currency during the next election campaign, he answered: "Let's get one thing straight. If I recommend to the British people that we join the euro I will make the case for it as strongly and as powerfully as you could possibly hear."

It was one of his most robust answers yet to the question and raised speculation that, despite his denials of a change in tone, he was eager to voice his enthusiasm for the euro.

He will undoubtedly reject such charges as yet more "media hype" and insist that he has, once again, merely re-stated government policy.

The problem with this particular issue, however, is that industry and the City, as well as the media, hang on every utterance by every minister for signals about the government's intentions.

And that inevitably leads to speculation over how the body language from different ministers, or at different times, has changed.

Slow handclap

Mr Blair, meanwhile, wants to get on with his job of hammering home the government's achievements.

He appeared to suggest in his comments that some of his problems had been the result of bad presentation.

That came after his deputy John Prescott said at the weekend that trotting out phrases like "boom and bust" - one of the prime minister's favourites - was not good enough.

Mr Blair also went on to suggest nothing had changed in government as a result of his appearance at the WI two weeks ago, where he was heckled and slow handclapped.

"You've got to distinguish between what's important and what's a load of media hype and drivel," he said.

That will worry some in Labour who believe the performance was a public relations disaster and should lead to a fundamental reassessment of the role of spin doctors.

They had believed the decision by Mr Blair's official spokesman, Alastair Campbell, to stop briefing political journalists on a regular basis was a sign lessons had been learned from the WI speech.