THE Labour Party, represented by Hilton Dawson, Geraldine Smith and local councillors, appears intent on entering into war with Iraq to secure its oil reserves under a veil of challenging terrorism.

It has never been more clear to most people how the Labour Party has lost its founding principles and represents the naked pursuit of business interest and favour.

Your correspondent Mr Davies last week mocked Green politicians for being amateurs. Better that than to bend to the will of a certain interest group.

Who are the terrorists? Who has the majority of the world's nuclear, biological and chemical weapons ? Who is threatening war now with more terifying weapons than ever before assembled?

Saddam Hussein is a dangerous and ruthless man who should be stopped from torturing people in Iraq. That however, is a different argument to the war now being planned.

Who are we to judge right and wrong when we continue to ride roughshod over the needs of the world's poor and other species to support our ever more extravagant and unrealistic demands on the Earth?

All those who sense hypocrisy and double standards should make a stand now. The marches against war on Saturday in London and Glasgow represents a chance to protest against this latest round of warmongering.

If enough people make their voices heard now there is some chance of a new beginning for peace, where knowledge becomes wisdom not technological gimmickry or advanced weapons.

Wouldn't it be nice to see the armed forces saying no, we don't want to be cannon fodder or killers, to see for once a nation stepping back from war and murder and creating a new sort of culture. Then maybe we really could start to call ourselves civilised.

Chris Hart

Woodville Street

Lancaster