London - The Liberal Democrats leader, Mr Charles Kennedy, has proclaimed pro-Europeanism the "true patriotism" and pledged no compromise in the campaign for British membership of the European single currency, Frank Millar reports.
In a rallying cry at the first formal meeting of the Britain in Europe campaign, held on the fringe of the party conference in Harrogate, Mr Kennedy said he was "sick to death" of Eurosceptics claiming a monopoly of patriotism.
"I'm not going to trim, I'm not going to equivocate, I'm not going to compromise on the European issue - period," declared Mr Kennedy, who confronts his first conference as leader amid growing activist demands for a less "cosy" relationship between the Liberal Democrats and New Labour.