Comic defends euro Hitler spoof

Mr Mayall, in an interview with the Sunday Times, said he had always wanted to play the part of the Nazi leader.

He said: "Actually I only did it because I'd always wanted to play Hitler. It's satire.

"Look I'm saying what I say because if Hitler tells people to support the euro then surely they won't. That's the point of it."

The five second extract of the celebrity-packed anti-euro advert featured Mr Mayall as Hitler saying: "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein euro" - one people, one realm, one euro - in a reference to the Nazi slogan: "Ein Volk, ein Reich, ein Fuehrer".

The comedian then reappears saying in English: "Euro? Oh yes please."

Resisted Armada and Hitler

It has been condemned by politicians, the European Commission and Jewish groups.

Mr Mayal denies it is anti-semitic, pointing out that his wife Barbara is Jewish: "So my children are Jewish, too, as the Jewish race goes through the mother's line. And I suppose that if the SS were to march in, I'd be in the concentration camp, too, for collaboration simply for marrying Barbara."

As to why he opposes the euro, Mr Mayall, best known for his 1980s role in the anarchic comedy The Young Ones, says that it is basically because he is "not a joiner".

He told the newspaper: "So that means no to joining the euro... I'm an independent sort of person. If we join the euro then the people in Brussels will take even more decisions on our behalf.

"I don't trust the financiers of Europe. Look, Britain resisted the Armada and, yes, Hitler, too. I like this distance we in Britain have. A little island between America and Europe."

'Crass and offensive'

The Hitler spoof in the advert led to Tony Blair being questioned about it in House of Commons - but he played down its significance, saying "a joke is a joke".

He added that he believed economic arguments would win the day on whether the UK adopts the euro - and not celebrities or pop stars.

The cinema advertisement was described as "offensive" by Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy, and has been branded tasteless by leading British Jews.

But the anti-euro No Campaign argues the celebrity advert was a bit of "harmless fun" in the bid to win people over to its arguments.

The European Commission described the advert as "crass and offensive" and in "appallingly bad taste". A spokesman said it was "insulting" and "panders to xenophobia".

The Britain in Europe group denounced the advertisement as a "tasteless caricature".

Bob Geldof

Its views are shared by the chairman of the Holocaust Educational Trust, Labour peer Lord Janner.

He described the portrayal as "crass, distasteful and totally inappropriate".

"Those responsible should withdraw this offensive advert immediately," said Lord Janner.

Former European Commission vice-president and Tory cabinet minister, Lord Brittan of Spennithorne, also criticised the advert.

"This tasteless ad shows the underlying nastiness behind much of the No campaign as well as an element of desperation," he said.

But the No campaign director George Eustice denied the advert was offensive.

"It is a harmless comedy sketch for three seconds in a 90 second film," he said.

Rock star Bob Geldof, comedians Vic Reeves, Harry Enfield and John Sessions, chef Gordon Ramsay, as well as Labour MPs Diane Abbott and Kate Hoey are among those who appear in the video campaign.