THE Jubilee celebrations showed the unique character and qualities of our nation and our pride in our democratic independence within the firm foundation of a constitutional monarchy.

But national sovereignty is not just about confidence in our own identity and our monarchy. It includes the certainty that, in critical areas, we have control of our own affairs and are ultimately able to take our own decisions about exactly how our country is run.

Crucially, this means keeping control of our economy including setting our own interest rates and taxes, affecting the jobs, mortgages, and personal livelihoods of all UK citizens.

This control will be lost if we join the euro.

The euro issue goes far deeper than simply the convenience, when travelling abroad, of having the same coinage as our European countries. Nor is it a question of whether or not the Queen's head is on the coins and notes.

Membership means not just sharing the same currency but deep economic union. The euro is like a joint bank account. We would have to accept the interest rate for the euro set by the Central European Bank which has the impossible task of fixing the same "one-size-fits-all" rate for 12 countries, with economies as different as Greece, Italy, Spain, France and Germany.

Already there are signs of stress. Continental politicians are honest enough to make no secret of the fact that, if the euro is to be really successful, there will eventually have to be similar tax arrangements in all countries involved.

The UK is the fourth largest economy in the world. We can be good Europeans, supporters of the single market and play our part within the EU, and yet still keep the pound and control of our own economy.

Business for Sterling, has a North West council of more than 70 businessmen and women who believe that Britain should stay in the EU but not join the euro for the foreseeable future.

DAVID BRIGGS, Chairman, Business for Sterling North West, Spear Street, Manchester.