The government is spending £37,000 day on preparations for euro membership, it was revealed yesterday.

A total of £9 million was spent in the eight months to June this year, prompting comments from anti-euro campaigners that the government was wasting taxpayers' money.

The latest Treasury report on euro preparations also gave the government more leeway to hold a referendum before the next election, saying that Sterling could be phased out within two months of the introduction of euro notes and coins - rather than six months as previously thought.