KENNEDY SAYS BLAIR DITHERING LIKE JOHN MAJOR

1.41.17pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 21st May 2003

Charles Kennedy MP for Ross, Skye & Inverness West, Leader of the Liberal Democrats

Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy today questioned the Prime Minister over the Government's position on the Single Currency, saying:

"Mister Speaker, isn't the Prime Minister's real problem not the economic circumstances, but the political conditions of the Chancellor? "

"The more he allows himself to be boxed in by the Chancellor's conditions, the more his policy will be characterised as dither and delay – just like John Major's?"

"Charles Kennedy also asked Tony Blair to distance himself from comments made by former Cabinet Minister Peter Mandelson that the Prime Minister had been outmanoeuvred over the issue of the Euro by his politically obsessed Chancellor."

"Charles Kennedy said:"

"If he doesn't agree with his Right Honourable Friend's description of the Chancellor, will he take this opportunity to categorically disavow it?"

"The Prime Minister failed to disavow the comments.