TONY McNeile, Chairman of the Bolton Branch of the UN Association, published a letter in the Bolton Evening News on March 21, which suggested that I had contempt for the UN.

Furthermore, he took one sentence out of a whole speech and question and answer session that I had at a meeting, organised by the Bolton Stop the War Coalition, and held at the Emmanuel Church Hall on March 9, and used it completely out of context.

I have the greatest respect for the United Nations. Why otherwise would I have been arguing throughout the lead-up to the war in Iraq for the Prime Minister to pursue the UN route and, why would I vote for amendments to Government motions in the two critical House of Commons debates on Iraq, held on February 26 and March 18, if this was not the case?

However, I have to ask Mr McNeile and his colleagues -- has the time come to consider the effectiveness of UN resolutions, whether Chapter 6 or Chapter 7 resolutions? The UN has passed almost 1500 resolutions. How many of them does he believe have been effective?

Does he believe, as I do, that the time has come to deal with the real cause of instability in the Middle East, namely the unwillingness of Israel to reach a two-state settlement with the Palestinians?

During question time at the March 9 meeting, it was suggested that America and Britain were bullying other nations into agreeing a second UN resolution prior to the declaration of war.

In my answer, I tried to point out that what they were doing was part of the normal diplomatic process. I omitted to remind the audience that France was doing the same with African nations at the same time!

As for the Bully Free Zone in Bolton, Mr McNeile might like to know that I am a Patron because I set up the Neighbourhood Dispute Service in Bolton, which was its precursor.

I have condemned bullying all my life, not just with words, but with actions.

Dr Brian Iddon

Member of Parliament

for Bolton South East