THE election of Iain Duncan Smith as leader of the Conservative party shows that our members throughout the North West have recognised his strength of character, his energy, his determination and his fighting spirit.

Iain has developed over the last few weeks when he has been head to head with Kenneth Clarke, who has served our party so well for many years.

Iain has very close ties with America and has visited the Pentagon in the last few months as shadow defence secretary. His military experience and American links will be crucially important during the next few months when President George W Bush wages war on the evil minded terrorists who have murdered thousands of Americans and hundreds of Britons who were in and around the World Trade Centre in New York or at the Pentagon in Washington. My thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the victims at this terrible time.

Den Dover MEP, Countess Way, Euxton, Chorley.