More than 50 business leaders from the south are among 700 executives to support to the latest campaign against a single European currency.

The campaign follows a new poll by research company ICM which revealed two-thirds of British businesses remain firmly opposed to the euro and almost three-quarters believe that Britain will prosper outside the Eurozone.

The "No" campaign's latest push involves posters depicting Chancellor Gordon Brown wearing handcuffs with the text: "If we join the euro we will lose control of the economy: Nobody wants to return to boom and bust".

David Hearnshaw, chair-man of Business for Sterling South and managing director of Preformed Line Products, said the poster conveyed the depth of business opposition to the euro in Britain.

He said: "The latest ICM poll shows the majority of British businesses want to keep the pound and stay in the EU. They believe the costs of replacing the pound far outweigh the small benefits and the economy will be stron-ger if we keep the pound."

But a business leader has told the Government to urge more firms to prepare for the euro because of high levels of confusion and ignorance about the single currency.

Peter Bishop, acting chief executive of the British Chamber of Commerce, said ministers should be pressing companies to take practical steps to deal with the new currency. He warned up to 500,000 UK companies could lose business through their inaction.

Firms needed to consider opening a euro account, adapting information tech-nology systems and redesign-ing marketing literature.