PRESSED by annoying backs at the recent Association of European Journalists' lunch on whether Britain would join EMU, the Minister for Finance, Mr Quinn, gave a deep sigh. As a keen observer of British history and politics, he could explain, in one sentence, how our nearest and dearest neighbours would react. "If you look at the history of Britain's relationship with continental Europe, and to the European project, it's been fairly consistent, and wildly illogical basically, they start off with this is a crazy, continental idea that won't work then they see it happen and they say yeah, well, it is working, but it isn't working the way we thought it wouldn't work', then they decide well, they shouldn't be working it without us then they come to the point where maybe it's time for us to join and then they eventually get to the point where hey, we want to join and then the minute they join they want to change the foundation rules."

Mr Quinn took a deep breath, before predicting that Britain would be on board before 2002. The Margin couldn't see whether he had his fingers crossed behind his back.