Ein Volk! Ein Reich! Ein Euro!

[pms]

At first glance, the grainy, black-and-white film really does look like a
newsreel of Adolph Hitler shouting his approval of Europe's new single
currency: "One people! One state! One euro." In fact, the Hitler character
is a British comedian. And the anti-euro advertisement in which the ersatz
fuehrer appears has sparked a storm of anger here.
.
Although it is likely to be a year or more before Prime Minister Tony Blair
schedules a national referendum on adopting the euro, the question of
whether or not Britain should join with the 12 European Union countries that
already use it is arguably the nation's hottest political issue.
.
This summer's rapid appreciation of the euro against both the U.S. dollar
and the British pound has sharpened the debate, with the pro-euro side
arguing that the currency's increasing value reflects strong global
acceptance of the euro as a competitor to the dollar.
.
Accordingly, the chief anti-euro interest group, which calls itself "the no
campaign," launched its first screen advertising campaign Wednesday with a
90-second commercial to be shown in movie theaters all summer long. But the
ad spawned a controversy that may well drown out its message about the
currency.
.
Specifically aimed at young voters, the ad features cameo appearances by the
pop star Bob Geldof and several British television celebrities. The British
comedian Rik Mayall appears twice as Hitler, complete with mustache, giving
the Nazi salute and shouting support for the euro. Those sequences set off
the fireworks.
.
"Absolutely tasteless. Highly inappropriate," said Neville Nagler, director
of the Board of Deputies of British Jews. "It is bound to cause offense to
all those who experienced at first hand the evils of the Third Reich."
.
George Eustice, campaign director of "the no campaign," responded that
"people really need to lighten up a bit," and added that he does not plan to
cut the Hitler sequence from the ad.
.
But politicians and analysts here called the ad a clear blunder. "It can
only boomerang," said Leon Brittan, who served in several cabinet posts
under former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher. "This tasteless ad" shows an
element of "desperation" in the anti-euro camp, said.
.
For years, opinion polls here have shown that most British voters oppose
joining the single currency. But the anti-euro campaigners may have cause
for worry, because recent surveys show clear gains for the "yes" camp. The
glitch-free roll-out in January of euro notes and coins and the broad
acceptance of the currency across Western Europe have weakened opposition
among the British public, analysts say. A national telephone poll Tuesday
night by the Channel 4 network found that 52 percent of those surveyed would
vote against the euro, and 39 percent would vote in favor. If that result is
accurate, it suggests significant decay in the "no" position. Until the end
of last year, surveys here routinely came out about 2-1 against the common
currency.
.
For all the ads and arguments on the euro question, the most important
determinant of the eventual referendum will probably be the position taken
by Blair and his chancellor of the Exchequer, Gordon Brown. Several recent
polls have shown a large percentage of "no" voters would be inclined to
support the common currency if Blair and Brown recommended entry.
.
Blair has said repeatedly that he favors using the euro "in principle," but
only if economic conditions are favorable. Brown, whose job is roughly
equivalent to a U.S. Treasury secretary, has set five tests to determine
whether to recommend euro entry. The five points concern whether euro
membership would enhance different aspects of Britain's economy.
.
Blair has promised that his government will report on the five tests by June
of 2003, but the Whitehall rumor mill suggests that this report will
actually come months earlier.