LONDON, May 17: British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his Finance Minister Gordon Brown took the unprecedented step on Friday of going public to deny any rift over joining Europe’s single currency.

But their political opponents said their unusual public denial only showed how deep the rift was.

The media have for months described the two men as being at loggerheads over the euro, saying Blair wants to join the currency as soon as possible, while Brown, who is to deliver a verdict by early June on five economic tests for it, is opposed.

The two men’s offices issued a joint statement to make clear that the dogmatic positions being ascribed to them by some in the media should be ignored.

Stories that (Blair) was determined to call a referendum this Parliament, come what may and regardless of the five tests, were wrong, they said.

Brown had reassured cabinet colleagues that the ritual presentation of him as being more sceptical than the prime minister, and that as a matter of principle he is opposed to a referendum in this parliament, is wrong.

Blair said he would not proceed with a referendum unless it was in Britain’s economic interest, while Brown said that if there was a referendum, he would campaign for a “yes” vote along with the rest of the government.

But if the purpose of the extraordinary statement was to quell speculation of a rift, the opponents of the ruling Labour Party said it did just the opposite.

You know that two people are at daggers drawn when they make a direct statement claiming to be united, Liberal Democrat treasury spokesman Matthew Taylor said. Every celebrity couple has claimed their marriage is sound just before the divorce.

Conservative Party deputy leader Michael Ancram said: It is quite clear that Britain’s national economic interest is coming a poor second to Labour’s vicious infighting.

This is a classic attempt to hide serious positions. The British public will not be taken in.

It is time they stopped this silly subterfuge and got on with solving the problems in the public services which people really mind about.

Blair has said that he wants to bring Britain into the euro, but only if it is in Britain’s economic interest, as defined by Brown’s five tests.

The treasury is widely believed to have concluded that the tests have not yet been met, but that leaves open the question of whether they can be met soon enough to call a referendum before elections.—Reuters