Sir, Andrew Smith claims to have been ‘disappointed’ at the cancellation of yet another meeting at which he was due to actually interact with his constituents (‘MP fears attack’, 2 May). If he was so disappointed, then perhaps he could explain why he has consistently refused to accept an invitation put forward by the East Oxford Stop the War Coalition to debate the issues surrounding Labour’s foreign policy. Is it, perhaps, because he is worried that in any forum where he would actually have to face debate (rather than the same tired New Labour monologue), he would lose? I suspect Andrew Smith is fully aware that he and his party have lost any claim on principle they might once have possessed. His contempt for his East Oxford constituents is just another symptom of the arrogance of New Labour. Yours, Matt Sellwood, Green Party StudentsARCHIVE: 2nd Week TT 2003
