AFTER councillors in Preston threw out a move to twin the city with war-torn Nablus, in the Palestinian West Bank, a councillor who was involved with twinning for 30 years has spoken of his views on the initiative.

Following a long debate, a majority of councillors voted against the twinning plan last week, claiming it would have appeared as though the council was taking sides.

Until recently Conservative councillor Joe Hood was involved with the twinning committee, now known as ICE (International City in Europe), for about 30 years.

Although Preston is now twinned with four European towns, Coun Hood says it could never be a success during a conflict.

"Twinning started after the Second World War when it was thought to be helpful in promoting harmony and friendship among countries who had been at war," said Coun Hood.

"Preston has always been a pretty progressive town, and we were probably one of the earliest places to be twinned. The twinning soon expanded to include football teams, jazz bands and charities, at no great expense to the council because they tended to pay their own way."

So far Preston is twinned with Almelo in Holland, Nimes in France, the German town Recklinghausen and the town of Kalisz in Poland.

Coun Hood said: "Twinning should be between towns where there is no conflict, or if there has been conflict it is now finished. There was no way we could be seen to be taking one side over the other in a conflict."

Socialist Alliance councillor Michael Lavalette, who spearheaded the Nablus twinning initiative, said he is down but not out.

"We will keep on highlighting the Palestinian cause and at a suitable point in the future we intend to bring the motion back to council," he said.