I FEAR Elizabeth C Earle sees Tony Blair through rose-tinted spectacles as he is definitely not the paragon of virtue she makes him out to be.

Has she forgotten he was somewhat economical with the truth when he assured the British people that Saddam Hussein most certainly did have the most fearful weapons which could be winging their way to Britain "within 45 minutes"? That fact alone, according to him and his boss George Bush, was sufficient to take us into a disastrous war which this weekend claimed the life of yet another British soldier.

The "freebie" holidays and wrist-watches he accepts from anyone who offers them, hardly represent the dignified behaviour one would expect from the Prime Minister of Great Britain. There are many instances of sleaze in his Government which, he said, would never happen when he took control of the country in 1997.

Blair is reluctant to surrender his prime ministership as he knows his legacy will not be the one he craves, of being a great statesman. More likely it will be a legacy akin to Neville Chamberlain.

Mr P A Roe,

Roman Avenue South,

Stamford Bridge.

Updated: 10:38 Friday, November 25, 2005