British Prime Minister Tony Blair and his finance minister Gordon Brown have they could win a referendum to join the euro if their Labour Party triumphed in next month's general election.
Blair and Chancellor of the Exchequer Gordon Brown, long believed to be cooler towards the euro than his party leader, said the argument for joining the European single currency had not yet been made to largely sceptical Britons.
Campaigning in Bristol, southwest England, Blair was asked by the Financial Times if he could persuade voters of the euro's merits.
"Of course, provided you mount the argument well, provided we are setting out why it is economically and politically in Britain's interest," he said.
Conservative leader William Hague, however, who has pledged to shun the euro for at least five years, was quick to accuse Blair of planning to ditch the pound.
"I think it is very clear...that he intends to ditch the pound," Hague told a news conference.
"The key referendum on the pound is the general election. That is clearer than ever from the interview he gave this morning."
Blair, tipped to comfortably win the election on June 7, said he would carry on vigorously putting the case for Britain's active participation in Europe .
The prime minister is in favour of joining the euro when economic conditions are right and subject to a referendum of the British people, but he faces a tough fight for its acceptance.