Prodi left out of campaign for euro

The UK Government is to sideline Romano Prodi, the President of the European Commission, from its campaign to promote the benefits of the European Union and the single currency to the British people.

The Foreign Office is forging close links with a "new generation" of media-friendly European politicians to help its campaign. Mr Prodi is not seen as a strong media performer by the Government.

The "media-friendly" politicians include Pierre Moscovici, the French minister for Europe, who joined his British counterpart Peter Hain at a seminar in London this week on Europe.

Another is Dick Benschop, European Affairs minister in the Netherlands, who will tour Scotland with Mr Hain on Monday. Mr Benschop is tipped as a future prime minister in the Netherlands.

British ministers hope that forging links with rising stars in other European governments will help them win arguments over the future direction of the European Union.

Yesterday Mr Blair warned that many people felt "alienated" from the EU's institutions. In a joint paper agreed after talks at Downing Street with the Polish Prime Minister, Leschek Miller, he said: "A goal of EU policy-makers should be to enhance a sense of belonging and responsibility."