Blair and Brown news conference

(10 Jun 2003)
1. Wide of British Prime Minister Tony Blair approaching podium
2. Cutaway of journalists at presser
3. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"It is time to make the argument for Britain in Europe, to take on those who believe if we are pro-British, we must be anti-European, to defeat the false case that if Britain is a full-hearted member of the EU we lose our identity as a nation and to show, in a world that is moving closer together and being transformed by globalisation, it would be a cruel denial of our own proper self-interest to cut ourselves adrift from the major strategic and economic alliance right on our doorstep."
4. Cutaway
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer:
"I believe that on these reforms there is a realistic prospect of making significant progress over the next year, so as I said in the House (of Commons) yesterday, if the five tests are met, it is our intention to join the Euro. As I also said, the five tests are our stability guarantee. At all times we will put stability and the national economic interest first."
6. Cutaway of Tony Blair
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Gordon Brown, Chancellor of the Exchequer:
"In our speeches and in our road-shows around the country, we will show how Britain can unite around a pro-European consensus. More than 50 percent of our trade is with Europe, three (m) million jobs depend on it, at no point has Britain ever been prepared to relinquish our responsibility and interest in Europe's future."
8. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"I think this is the right time to have this debate, I mean we have a lot of discussion going on in Europe at the moment, Europe is changing, I mean here we are part of this European Union in Britain, we have 10 new countries coming in, other new countries to follow, the European Union is now the biggest political economic alliance anywhere in the world, my point to people is very simple, if Britain is a member of this club, for goodness sake lets get in there, make our voice heard, win the battles and do so with confidence. Lets not hang about always being half-hearted about it."
9. Side shot of Blair speaking
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"Look, the whole point about this is that in the end it is conditional on the economics being in the right place. Well, the economics have got to be right for it to be the right thing to do."
11. Side shot of Blair speaking
12. SOUNDBITE (English) Tony Blair, British Prime Minister:
"The fact is there is not a shred of evidence, absolutely no evidence at all that we have doctored or manipulated intelligence. That would be absolutely gross if we did so, we have not done so, and I've already said in relation to the security committee that they will have access to all the intelligence that they require and what's more I will make the report public."
13. Wide of audience, pan to Blair and Brown
STORYLINE:
Prime Minister Tony Blair launched a not-quite-yet campaign on Tuesday to persuade Britons of the potential benefits of joining the single European currency.
The previous day, his top economic official announced to parliament that the country was still not ready to do so.
At an unusual joint news conference, Blair and Treasury chief Gordon Brown said joining could be an economic boon for Britain, but only when the time is right.
"It is time to make the argument for Britain in Europe, to take on those who believe if we are pro-British we must be anti-European," Blair said.
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[@annag8815]

And now we're out of the EU.....

[@bmker5469]

Dodged a bullet their.. Brown was right.. The Blair bandwagon started to slow from here until 07..

[@shallowpond3838]

Rats.

[@HazeyEd1ts]

Yawn.