FOLLOWING one of the largest surveys into the impact of the single currency on prices the French Consumer Union said that the weekly shopping bills for the average French household had risen by ten per cent.

Shampoo, soap and beauty products had increased by 40 per cent.

There are similar claims that the introduction of the Euro had rounded up prices come from Spain, Greece, Italy, Germany, Austria, Holland, Ireland and France.

This should come as no surprise because those of us who are old enough to remember decimalisation in 1971 will recall how prices were rounded upwards.

Indeed many economists at the time thought that this contributed to huge inflation in the Seventies. Opinion polls here in Britain indicate that the majority of the British people would reject the Euro in favour of keeping the pound in a referendum.

Maybe that is why the Prime Minister is reluctant to set a date for a referendum because it is becoming increasingly unlikely that a "Yes" vote would be forthcoming. However, as a democrat, Mr Blair should end the uncertainty and call a referendum and whatever the result abide by the wish of the British people.

COUNCILLOR David Pearson, Rawstorne Street, Blackburn.