UK: BOURNEMOUTH: CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE: JOHN MAJOR'S SPEECH

Описание: (9 Oct 1996) English/Nat

Embattled British Prime Minister John Major took off his jacket and took centre stage at the ruling Conservative conference Wednesday as he set about trying to unify a party deeply divided over Europe.

In his shirtsleeves, Major's message to the Tory party was clear -- Britain must keep its options open over Europe.

With an election due in the first half of next year, the British Prime Minister knows time is running out to try to win back disaffected voters.

John Major received a tumultuous welcome as he took to the stage in Bournemouth. Within minutes, the British premier was transformed.

Casting off his jacket, he strolled across the stage in shirtsleeves and chatted with the party faithful.

His 60-minute question-and-answer session followed a key debate on Europe: the issue which has split the Conservative party.

Major still preferred to sit on the fence.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"If a single currency goes ahead, it will have an impact in one way or another way upon every nation in the European Union whether or not that particular country is in the Single Currency. Let us accept that fact."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major

But there was a word of caution that would please the Euro-sceptics.

SOUNDBITE:
"If it fails that Single Currency then the fallout from failed economic and monetary union will make the fallout from the collapse of the Exchange Rate Mechanism look like a teddy-bears picnic economically and right the way across Europe."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major

SOUNDBITE:
"This decision is going to be the biggest political decision economically that's ever been taken in this country at any time. If a British cabinet decides to go ahead, a British conservative cabinet decided to go ahead, then I think it is right to put that question distinctly, clearly and unequivocally to the British nation to decide. And that I promise you we will do."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major

But the question remains -- when?

Monetary union is scheduled for 1999 at the latest.

Mr Major appears set to try and withstand a firm commitment one way or the other before Britain goes to the polls next Spring.

Then, with that famous smile, he was off doing his hugely successful "soapbox" routine that proved one of the Tories' most effective secret weapons during the 1992 general election.

SOUNDBITE:
"And I said to Boris well we've had a long walk and we've got 3 choices. We can take the long-walk back to Chequers or we can go down to the little village down there and we can get the cars back or we could, you and I, Boris, go and have a lemonade in the Bernard Arms. And at this stage the Security Services learned that the President of Russia could speak English. The Bernard Arms said Boris, the Bernard Arms."
SUPER CAPTION: John Major

But if Mr major was trying to soothe worries over Europe in the main conference hall, in the corridors the Euro-sceptics were as ready as ever to get their message across.

SOUNDBITE:
"And whoever wins the next election , we are in serious danger of being sucked into this single currency and once we're in, there really is no way of getting out again. It really will be the absorption of Britain into a federal Europe. That's what worries me and I think a lot of the grass roots here."
SUPER CAPTION: Theresa Gorman MP

SOUNDBITE:
"There are very substantial divisions of opinion in all parties throughout the country and elsewhere in Europe. It's not surprising that there are differences of opinion."
SUPER CAPTION: Bill Cash MP

SOUNDBITE:
SUPER CAPTION: Sir Teddy Taylor MP



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