SOME members of Tavistock Chamber of Commerce, unaware of their MP's view on Britain joining the euro, were surprised when he told them of his hostility to the idea.
West Devon and Torridge Liberal Democrat John Burnett had been invited to answer questions from local traders at the Bedford Hotel last week.
Chamber chairman Barry Highfield said: 'Our anti-euro majority was ready to give him a hard time, but it turned out he shared our views.
'The Liberal-Democrats are apparently as split on this issue as the other parties are.'
Mr Burnett, who has long been opposed to joining the single currency, told the meeting the Danes had done Britain a favour by voting against joining. He was against the UK joining the single currency 'for the foreseeable future,' but would support the holding of a national referendum on the issue.
However, he showed himself strongly pro-European on other matters. He said it was important to join in European Union projects and to seek support from EU funds for transport and training schemes.
He was in favour of reviving the old railway line from Bere Alston to Tavistock, which would need European money, and of boosting European funding for Tavistock College as a centre for lifelong learning.
Mr Burnett said the area stood to benefit next year from an injection of EU Objective Two funding for public transport, agriculture, employment, training and sport. He was seeking matching funding from the government to ensure this happened.
Mr Highfield said afterwards that members felt it was 'a major plus' that their MP was promoting involvement in European projects.