I was angered by Hove Labour MP Ivor Caplin's refusal to speak to me at his surgery about his support for war on Iraq.

Mr Caplin voted for Tony Blair's motion backing military action in the Commons last week.

Having initially agreed a time with his secretary for me to put my questions to him, I later received a message informing me my meeting was cancelled as Mr Caplin did not want to discuss the issue but, instead, "local" issues such as housing, schools and immigration -as if local people aren't concerned about this war.

One of the questions I was to put to him was whether the £3.5 billion earmarked for war could not be better spent on our underfunded services, such as the ones above, instead of on death and destruction.

Mr Caplin is, however, happy to receive your views in writing.

Another example of New Labour-style "democracy".

-Manus McGrogan, Second Avenue, Hove