Airstrip One

Martyr for the Yes Vote

It won't win me a prize for the most sensitive post of the year, but the death of the Swedish foreign minister Anna Lindh is a massive fillup for the "Yes" vote in the coming Euro referendum - which means that Denmark will almost certainly vote Yes and England will be isolated. Suddenly a Yes vote here has gone from improbable to unlikely.

Don't just take my word for it, look at what the EU commission has to say:

European Commission chief Romano Prodi welcomed Thursday Sweden's decision to go ahead with a weekend referendum on joining the euro despite the killing of Foreign Minister Anna Lindh.

"You can't stop democracy. If it was decided not to hold the refendum, it would mean that the killer would be stronger than the collective will," Prodi told reporters, after paying tribute to Lindh.

Meanwhile environment commissioner Margot Wallstrom, a compatriot of Lindh, called on Swedes to vote in the Sunday referendum as a mark of respect for the slain minister.

Guess what the theme of this referendum will be. If it worked for Pim Fortuyn...