Because if there's more crisis, let alone a break-up, that could easily sink our recovery for a long time, and cause havoc for Britain's banks.

BBC: A good deal for the UK - or the euro?

Yet on September 14th an associate of Mr Fini declared that Mr Berlusconi's former deputy prime minister would never leave the party he helped to found, let alone set up a rival.

ECONOMIST: Silvio Berlusconi under fire: The sultan and the vizier | The

At the time it was tough to get funding for any idea, let alone a new processor that would go up against the incumbents.

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