THE name of BOLTON will never again be used as a codeword for military operations against nations such as Iraq. The pledge has been given by Defence Secretary George Robertson after a public outcry highlighted in the BEN over the choice of "Operation Bolton" for the latest Iraq mission. He has bowed to pressure by Bolton MPs Brian Iddon and David Crausby who say they are pleased that "backbench voices have been heeded".

Mr Robertson has now told Dr Iddon, MP for Bolton South-east, and David Crausby, of Bolton North-east, he accepts that the use of the name Bolton could have caused controversy.

Mr Robertson told Dr Iddon: "As your note suggested, I am sure that most of your constituents will be immensely proud to have been associated with the restoration of UN authority in connection with Iraq.

"It is not as easy as you might think to avoid place names. Our procedures are based on the need to avoid compromising operational security, especially in the early days of contingency planning.

"Code words are therefore chosen at random from a list based on the dictionary - there are tens of thousands in use at any one moment, or in bulk because they have recently been used.

"By way of example, the first ten names offered up by the system at the moment are: Jonathon, Appallingly, Coarcervate, Afadzato, Alectroymancy, Averruncator, Oligoclase, Obloquy, Ingurgitate, Sapodilla,

"You will understand why Bolton appeared more suitable and less controversial than any of these or the many pages of names that follow, the vast majority of which are equally obscure.

"Nevertheless, I accept your point and shall be instituting procedures to seek, wherever we can, to avoid the possibility of controversy in future."

Dr Iddon said today: "I am very pleased that the Secretary of State for Defence has agreed not to use place names in future, wherever possible, in order not to offend constituents, however small in number.

"We have certainly won one battle. The name did cause upset to several people in the town .

"If it had turned into Tony Blair's Vietnam and there had been body bags being brought back, I don't think people would have liked Bolton being associated with death and disaster for the rest of time.

"In addition, there are many Muslims in the town who might have taken exception to the use of the name for an operation to bomb Iraq."

Mr Crausby said: "I am pleased that George Robertson has taken this decision.

"Certainly if it had been a fiasco, the people of Bolton would have been unhappy to have the name of their town associated with a disaster for evermore."

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