SIR – Mr Shaw (Letters, January 21) has fired off both barrels without pinpointing the nub of my argument. If only it were true that Cameron’s exit from the EC summit really was in the national interest.

Unfortunately, quite the reverse is the case. By playing his veto to protect the gamblers in the City of London, Cameron has effectively rubbed salt into the wounds of the peoples of Greece, Spain, Portugal, Italy and Ireland, who are labouring under the most crippling austerity measures.

Let me make that point again – Cameron is openly giving unqualified succour and support to the very people who have caused (and continue to cause) the worst economic crisis in history Following this through to its logical conclusion, were I a European businessman looking at say, a British, Italian or German product.

Which am I now likely to choose? The irony is that he managed to alienate Britain throughout Europe without actually achieving his primary objective.

The financial transaction tax will go ahead anyway.

On the positive side, he has clearly gained a little street cred with the short-termist, self-serving right of the party and their opinion-shapers in the gutter press. Well – hussar!

Christopher Hindle, Osterley Grove, Bradford