The Amicus trade union could withdraw funding from a key pro-euro campaign group, Derek Simpson has said.

Simpson, who takes over as union chief from the ousted Sir Ken Jackson in January, pledged to ballot union members to ensure cash was not spent on "euro propaganda".

Meanwhile, Tony Blair's hopes of calling a referendum on the euro received another setback yesterday after the British Chambers of Commerce, which represents 130,000 companies, cancelled a poll on the single currency because of a lack of interest.