Think again.

RBS are in the news the week, having first been bailed out by the Treasury they announced larged bonuses for their managers, only to announce 2,300 job cuts a few days later.  The final straw was the former chief executive, who apparently earned just over 4 million pounds in 2007, saying “sorry” for the mess that the banks are in.

So where exactly is the money coming from to sponsor the Six Nations tournament?

Maybe MP John Thurso’s idea isn’t that bad…

Think of the advantages:

- unlike other countries that had conversion rates with four figures after the decimal point, the UK could just switch over without the need for conversion and just simply change the pound sign to a Euro one

- people would not have to work out how much something was “in pounds”, as many people on the continent still do when buying expensive items, as this would not be necessary

- it would no longer be necessary to exchange money when going on holiday to the Eurozone countries

- the two currencies could co-exist side by side for a while, removing the need to suddenly print and mint lots more Euro notes and coins

Of course, the euro-skeptics would be totally against this idea.  But why?

- because we are proud of the pound?  Well, let’s be proud of the Euro instead.

- because we want the Queen’s head on our coins?  No problem, mint the Euro coins with her head on the national side (as do Belgium, Spain, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Vatican City)

- because we don’t want to give up control of our currency?  Well, at the moment some analysts suggest that it is the difference in interest rates between the Bank of England and the European Central Bank that is the reason for the pound’s loss of value.  So why not join in and solve the problem?

Go on United Kingdom, take the plunge.  Or am I missing something here?