THE British Prime Minister, Mr John Major, repeatedly dismissed reports yesterday that up to 40 pro-European Tory MPs are planning to leave the party if he loses the general election, describing them as "completely off-beam".
As bookmakers across Britain were predicting that the right-wing Defence Secretary, Mr Michael Portillo, will become the next Tory party leader, Mr Major tried to stem the rumours over the planned split.
"It is a story that has emerged from time to time, usually without any names and has usually been denied by people in the past. It seems to have re-emerged, but it's completely off-beam as far as I am aware and there's nothing to justify it," he said.
Mr Major's attempt to unite the Conservative Party behind his "tougher" stance on the single-currency, by stating that Britain would not join if it went ahead without "reliable convergence" of EU economies, was criticised by Sir Leon Brittan, the former Tory Cabinet minister and now Britain's senior European commissioner.
Sir Leon insisted there were "powerful reasons" for accepting a single currency and derided the Euro-sceptics' fears that monetary union would mean handing power to "the boys in Brussels".
"I think it is ridiculous to reject something that is very much in line with Conservative economic policy just because it comes from Brussels . . . This is not some irrational headlong flight to federalism. It is in fact a specific project designed to help jobs and reduce interest rates," he said.
However, Mr Major refused to comment directly on Sir Leon's views, preferring instead to state that the former Tory minister had consistently supported the British government's line. He also refused to discuss whether be believed his argument had won over the Euro sceptics.
"That is an assertion I don't intent to comment upon. Our policy is in the national interest, we have set it out very clearly so there is no misunderstanding. We have now looked at what the economic conditions are across Europe and reached our judgment upon whether it is likely to be safe for our European partners or anyone to go ahead with a single currency on January 1st, 1999," he said.
Labour's campaigns spokesman, Mr Brian Wilson, claimed that Mr Major's "tougher" stance had already disintegrated and that the party remained as divided as ever on Europe.
"When confronted with his party's deep divisions on Europe, the Prime Minister has an extraordinary capacity to put his head in the sand. He chooses to reinterpret Sir Leon Brittan's remarks about the single currency and to dismiss out of hand the threat of 40 pro-Europe Tories to break away from his party," he added.
Earlier Mr Major congratulated the former defence minister, Mr Alan Clark, on his selection as the parliamentary candidate for the safest Tory seat in Britain, Kensington and Chelsea, and said he would "bring a dash of colour" to the House of Commons.
Mr Clark, who described his numerous affairs and love of wine in his political diaries, promised his new constituents that he would behave in a "suitable and proper" manner.
However, Sir Nicholas Scott, who was forced out of the seat by Tory activists because of his behaviour, predicted that the party would lose the general election.