BRIAN Iddon failed to vote on a key issue for the first time in his political life.

The Bolton South East MP abstained in a vote over Government proposals to charge overseas residents seeking visas for family visits to the UK up to £500 if they wish to appeal against a refusal of the document.

He could not make up his mind what to do because, while he supported the restoration of the right to appeal, he believes that the fees -- £150 for a written review and £500 for an all-in hearing -- are beyond the means of the families of many of his Pakistani constituents.

However, Dr Iddon was pleased that Home Secretary Jack Straw agreed to review the working of the system after just three months instead of the year originally proposed.

Dr Iddon said: "I abstained for the first time in my political life.

"I have never done it down here at the House of Commons and I don't remember ever doing it in 21 years on Bolton Council.

"I have always voted before but, on this occasion, I faced a dilemma.

"I support the Government restoring the right of appeal which the Tories abolished.

"But I do think that the fees are too high.

"Poor families from Gujerat in Pakistan -- where many of my Asian constituents come from -- cannot afford the cost of going to Bombay and staying there as well as £500 for an appeal.

"The process also takes too long. I have cases of people who want to come in for weddings who can't get their visas processed in time to get here, even without an appeal.

"And I have had cases where, rather than appeal, people make multiple applications at cost of £33 each..

"The cost of time to administrators must exceed the £500 that we have been haggling over.

"It would be cheaper and clearer to use the appeal process. The appeal would be upheld or dismissed.

"We have people wanting to come to weddings, funerals and other family occasions. In one case, one of my constituents made a total seven applications to get their grandparents to a wedding. Happily we did manage to get them here but it would be simpler to have a proper appeals process that these people could afford."