03/01/2003 (Agence Europe) - In his New Year message, Tony Blair said that 2003 might be the year when the decision would be made on whether the pound should join the euro. Stressing that economic arguments should prevail, he said that the political arguments for joining the euro were overwhelming. British Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Huhne commented: "This is as close as the Prime Minister can get to firing the starting pistol for the Euro referendum. He knows that if the referendum is not held this autumn at the latest, it will be off for this parliament and maybe for much longer than that. To miss this opportunity would put him down in history as just another tactical trimmer like Harold Wilson, good at winning elections but hopeless at strategic direction".