will affect it so much. Instead, thanks to the Prime Minister's self-defeating and completely ineffectual "veto" last year, Britain is left outside of the room. Sitting on the side-lines, exclaiming that you are not a member of the Eurozone (and "never will be"), while lecturing those that are, is not exactly an influencing strategy. Whether we like it or not, the Eurozone is here to stay. It is already a global currency, the second most held after the dollar, and a systemically important player in international monetary policy-making. It is only a matter of time before it resolves its governance issues and takes its place along the dollar and the renminbi in a tripolar currency world. We have the opportunity to influence what the Eurozone will look like in the medium and long term (just in the off chance we decide, or we are forced by circumstances to join one day). But instead we chose to stand by and have history pass us by. Just like it was done back in the 1950s, when the decision was made not to participate in the creation of the EEC, only to join later a Community that did not have Britain's genetic footprint. Making the same mistake twice is not a trait of a wish person, the ancient Greeks used to say. Britain still has the opportunity to get actively and constructively involved in the reconstruction of the EU. Our European partners have left the door open. Which is why this year's conference