PEACE campaigners have challenged Bolton's MPs to face the public in a question and answer session about the Iraq crisis.

Bolton Stop The War Coalition, which had a strong presence at Saturday's march against war in London, is writing to the three Labour MPs inviting them to explain their views.

The coalition claims Prime Minister Tony Blair seems committed to war and says "the only people who can stop him now are the Labour MPs".

Bolton South East MP Brian Iddon questioned the value of the exercise. While he was always prepared to meet constituents, he had already met the peace groups and made his views clear. He said: "I wrote to Tony Blair making my views known and sent them a copy of the letter.

"My view is that there hasn't been enough evidence produced that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction. I've told the Prime Minister that I won't support a war without a second United Nations resolution supported by an international coalition."

Ruth Kelly, MP for Bolton West, has been a staunch backer of the Prime Minister's hard line. She said: "I understand the concerns voiced by the stop the war coalition, but believe the Government is taking the right approach through the UN to ensure the threat from Saddam to the civilised world no longer exists."

Bolton North East MP David Crausby has also previously stated his opposition to launching an attack on Iraq without first securing a second UN resolution, but was unavailable for comment about the stop the war coalition invitation.

No date has yet been fixed for any possible meeting.

Reports have suggested that some Labour left-wingers hope to launch a bid to replace Mr Blair as party leader. Two thirds of the parliamentary party are said to be against a war without a second resolution.

Malcolm Pittock, secretary of Bolton Stop The War Coalition, said: "We have done our part by marching and the Labour MPs are in a position to do something about it. They should be answerable to the Bolton public."