Here's a contaversial idea.....
Go and get an FAA IR, and JAA CPL. Fly around IFR in the US and in the UK on your IMC rating, and get some experience. Then a while down the road, when you're comfortable flying IFR in a SE and ME, take the JAA conversion.......You'll be in a much better position to pass, more IFR experience, a better pilot, and MAY save some money (especially when you consider a re-test is going to cost you about a grand)......