SIR – The sight of the Prime Minister’s smug grin during Prime Minister’s questions was infuriating to say the least.

Is he totally incapable of seeing the effect his bungling and dithering is having on hard-pressed British families, who are struggling to cope with the current economic squeeze?

Instead of waffling about global poverty, he should be looking at the poverty at home. If he had an ounce of judgement he could, very simply, ease this dire financial situation.

He should reintroduce the 10p level of income tax and rethink the iniquitous road fund licence increases, which only penalise the poorest families.

He should immediately raise the personal tax allowance to £10,000. This would be offset by the increased spending power of those affected.

Remove stamp duty on house purchases for a year, then raise the lower limit to catch up with the past 11 years’ inflation. This would be offset by increased house purchases, leading to increased house building.

Immediately reduce the tax on petrol. Offset by the massive current increases in receipts from VAT and windfall from oil companies. Definitely no increase in petrol duty in September.

Very simple solutions, if only Brown was capable of joined-up thinking.

Malcolm Wood, Westercroft View, Northowram