Lacking the courage of his convictions and abdicating the real responsibility of leadership, the stay-in-office-at-all-costs Prime Minister Tony Blair now wants to give the impression the country should not rush into joining the euro.

Putting aside the cynical view that Blair's panic retreat on the central issue of British politics has more to do with electoral calculations than real beliefs, and accepting his words at face value, can we now expect an immediate halt to any more spending on the ludicrous drive to encourage government departments and industry to prepare for entry to the euro?

The NHS alone is spending millions on these preparations - money which could be better spent on patient care.

-Michael Williams, Roedean Court, Brighton