I BELIEVE that it is in Britain's interest to join the Euro as soon as economic conditions make this practical.

While other MEPs in our region seem to have stayed silent, I have been arguing the case publicly at every opportunity.

There is no point pretending that the result of the referendum in Denmark is anything other than a severe setback. The Eurosceptics have every reason to gloat, and they no doubt will in full measure.

It is said by many that Danish people voted against joining the Euro because their politicians tried to pretend that membership of the single currency had nothing to do with issues of political sovereignty. If so, they deserve to have lost.

There is no doubt that membership requires a further sharing of sovereignty and, as one politician who likes to speak his mind, I am happy to state this and to argue that the benefits are well worth the price to be paid. Denmark is a committed member of the European Union. It is a tiny country of just five million people, smaller than the North West of England and it cannot escape the financial and economic consequences of decisions taken by its major neighbours within the Eurozone.

Yet by a small majority, the Danish people have voted to prevent their own representatives from playing a part in the shaping of these decisions. They have made a big mistake.

I have no doubt that Britain will eventually join the Euro, but I acknowledge this may now be years later than I would wish. We were late to join the Common Market, and in consequence had no control over the making of the Common Agricultural Policy.

In the same way, so long as we remain outside the Eurozone we shall, like Denmark, lose influence over key financial and economic decisions which affect us and shall just have to live with the consequences.

Chris Davies,

Liberal Democrat MEP for the North West,

87a Castle Street,

Stockport, SK3 9AR