MARCH 10: OPPOSING stances on the war on Iraq clashed in a fiery meeting held by Swindon MPs Julia Drown and Michael Wills.

It was standing room only in the Steam Museum's lecture theatre as upwards of 200 people representing all sides of the debate crammed in to hear the town's two Labour MPs justify their support for an attack on Iraq.

Swindon Stop the War Coalition made its presence felt with banners and flags filling the packed room.

The coalition had challenged the two MPs to a debate so that people could have both a pro and anti-war response, but this request was refused by the MPs.

Andy Newman, secretary of the coalition, said: "At the last meeting in January there were about 100 people there, but only three supported the MPs' position.

"Many people have expressed to me their disappointment that these have been stage-managed affairs, where our MPs have given the party line, rather than really engaging in informed debate."

Retired switchboard operator Ivy Poole, 70, from Penhill said: "I'm against the war and I have been against war all of my life.

"They need to get rid of Saddam but I don't see why they have to drop bombs on innocent people to do that."