Hugh Bayley has repeatedly stated that he would not support UK military action in Iraq without the international support of a "second" UN resolution.

Yet, in Tuesday's vote in Parliament, with no UN resolution secured, he voted with the Government in favour of the immediate invasion of Iraq.

According to the BBC's website, MPs were subjected to immense pressure from the Labour Whips to support Tony Blair, including threats to their future career, together with a promise that "no pro-war MP will be deselected even if it means dissolving the local party"!

So if the people of York want their democratic voice to be heard and an MP who will deliver the promises made to constituents, it seems we will now have to work to elect a new MP from another party - or move to Selby, whose Labour MP John Grogan won my respect by sticking to his principles and voting against the Government.

Adrian Lovett,

Huntington Road, York.

...I WAS disappointed Hugh Bayley did not rebel against the Government in the vote on the Iraq crisis.

During the various debates and lobbies Mr Bayley made his position clearly known; that he supported the actions of the United Nations.

He was clear in stressing the need for the support of the international community and was confident the Government would achieve a second resolution which would legitimise the war in his eyes.

Even though the Government withdrew its draft resolution, and even though most of the UN Security Council disagreed with the UK and US, and even though Hans Blix has said he would have liked more time, Mr Bayley chose to vote for a war that is now as illegal as it is immoral.

This mindless undermining of the United Nations is a disgrace, especially when assisted by a man who is the United Nations association's director of international services.

Hugh Bayley MP has shown his true colours. Regardless of where you stand on the war, or party politics, the people of York deserve a better MP than this disgraceful piece of lobby-fodder.

Greg Callus,

Goodricke College,

University of York.

HUGH Bayley is a brilliant example of why people do not go out and vote at election time.

Mr Bayley expressed concerns at his Government's handling of the growing tensions over Iraq when he became aware of large numbers of York people taking to the streets to protest. Yet when some kind of courage was asked of him and that he put the concerns of a large number of his constituents before his own narrow self interest, he voted with the Government in launching an attack on Iraq.

Mr Bayley has shown himself to be the worst kind of hypocritical career politician. He has proven, as many already suspected, that MPs simply do not listen to nor represent the views of their constituents.

Dr Richard Greaves,

Morehall Close,

Rawcliffe, York.

Updated: 10:17 Friday, March 21, 2003