IN a recent letter I have received from North Wilts MP James Gray (to which he attached a supporting letter from Jack Straw) he states that like his leader Iain Duncan Smith he fully supports Tony Blair and George Bush in their intention to declare an early war on Iraq, even without the approval of the UN.

The North Wilts MP is therefore in favour of thousands of tons of high explosives (conveniently not called "weapons of mass destruction") being dropped on Iraq in the opening days of this conflict. This is is bound to blow apart much of the basic infrastructure of that country and also the bodies of countless innocent men, women and children who,in many ways, are just like all of us ordinary folk who live in Swindon and North Wiltshire.

Politicians usually only really worry about one thing, that is your vote.

So if you, like so many others, believe that racing into this war is morally and totally wrong and a complete waste of resources which if spent otherwise could really benefit our country and others in our world, then please consider sending a strong message to Mr Duncan Smith and Mr Blair by refusing to cast a vote for any Conservative and Labour candidate in the forthcoming local council elections and also at the next general election.

The matter of the United Kingdom being engaged in a war which few of us condone far transcends the triviality of local affairs.

ALAN SCOTFORD

Marshfield Road

Chippenham