A MEMBER of Lancashire Women's Institute has revealed the reason she joined in the heckling of Tony Blair last week.

The Prime Minister was heckled and slow hand-clapped as he made a speech to a 10,000-strong audience at Wembley Arena in north London.

Some WI members walked out halfway through his speech.

Maureen Bowe joined in the slow hand-clapping that took place as Tony Blair delivered a speech to the Women's Institute.

She said: "My reaction to the incident is that we would have done the same to any politician that stood there and delivered that speech.

"He came onto the stage and started talking, telling us what he wanted us to know.

"And he didn't stay to listen to what we wanted to ask. There was simply no other way of interacting with him.

"You can make a political speech but his was party political and there is a difference there.

"It was as though he had just been dumped on us. A lot of other things were cut short because he came.

"A lot of other members felt the same way but one lady told me she was embarrassed to be a member because of the way the Prime Minister was treated.

"But the hand-clapping was done because there was no other way of expressing our displeasure at him."

Many of the WI members in the audience wanted a speech about topics such as education and the National Health Service.

They were clearly unimpressed by Mr Blair's offering.

The one day conference was part of a three-day event which included brass band music and a ladies barbershop choir on the Tuesday night.

A public exhibition -- Women 2000 -- also ran alongside the conference featuring many stalls and fashion shows.