The U.K. government probably won't hold a referendum on joining the single European currency until after the next general election in 2005 or 2006

The U.K. government probably won't hold a referendum on joining the single European currency until after the next general election in 2005 or 2006, the Financial Times reported, citing the founder of the Mori research group. The risk of losing the referendum before an election would be too much of a risk for Prime Minister Tony Blair, Bob Worcester told the FT. Worcester acted as public opinion adviser to the Labour administration of Harold Wilson in the U.K.'s only previous European referendum in 1975, the paper said. Blair ``is not going to jeopardize his place in history, especially after the events of Sept. 11,'' Worcester told the FT. The U.K. government has pledged a decision on whether to recommend entry into the euro and hold a referendum on the issue in the first half of its current term or by mid 2003, the FT said. Blair has said he believes the U.K. would lose influence in shaping the European Union's future if it were not a member of the euro, the FT said.