"Yes" campaigners for the single European currency were dealt a blow on Tuesday with a survey which showed widespread ignorance about the single currency.

The figures will provide even more ammunition for those in the government who wish to kick a euro-referendum into the long grass.

Brussels-based euro "barometer" researchers have fuelled accusations of arrogance with their conclusion that UK attitudes to the euro are based on "prejudice and innate conservatism".

Eighty per cent of Britons consider themselves to be ill-informed on the single currency, rising to 87 per cent among the young.

Sixty three per cent believe the euro would "mean an end to national independence" and 60 per cent think the EU cannot be trusted to "take account of the British interest".

The research concludes that "this attitude profile appears to be based upon prejudice and the innate conservatism of British public opinion".

"This might suggest that opinions are being influenced by widespread popular sentiment which may well correlate with consumption of the mass, tabloid, newsprint media," states the report.