Dr Helen Szamuely

According to an opinion poll published by FX Currency Service, a supplier of foreign exchange services, 57 per cent of Britons are against the country joining the euro. Only 21 per cent were in favour, with 14 per cent undecided and 8 per cent, astonishingly, not caring either way. When the numbers of those asked were broken down, some surprising results were seen.

As usual more women than men wanted to keep the pound (59 per cent against 55 per cent). 27 per cent of men wanted to join the euro and only 16 per cent of women. Europhiles will be surprised by the age profile, though it confirms much of what eurosceptics have argued for some time. The most sympathetic group was that of the 45 to 54 year olds.

young people between 16 and 24 were as firmly against it as the over 55s. In both groups 62 per cent definitely wanted to keep the pound.

However, young people between 16 and 24 were as firmly against it as the over 55s. In both groups 62 per cent definitely wanted to keep the pound. Presumably, the wider experience of travel in many parts of the world has influenced the younger generation. There were more supporters than average of the euro in Scotland (28 per cent) and in London (25 per cent).