Copyright 2001 Times Newspapers Limited
The Times (London)

April 5, 2001, Thursday

SECTION: Business

LENGTH: 161 words

HEADLINE: Gabb's gift

BYLINE: Martin Waller

BODY:
A DEEPLY Eurosceptic academic who has already caused grief in political circles by publishing a list on the Internet of parliamentary candidates graded according to their views on monetary union has turned his attention to leading companies.

Alas, it seems Sean Gabb may have hit the wrong target in one case. He has identfied British Airways because of its membership of something called the Association for the Monetary Union of Europe.

It is an easy mistake to make -Lord Marshall of Knightsbridge, the BA chairman, heads Britain in Europe, after all. But BA's own views on the euro are a more neutral "yes, but only if the timing/exchange rate is right".

The company is a member of the Europhile association, but only as an "information resource", an insider says. "We didn't join it for any lobbying or campaigning purposes."

Gabb's "candidlist" upset the Tories in particular. One MP threatened to sue after being branded a Europhile.