Lib Dem Euro MP joins million-person march

12.00.00am GMT Tue 18th Feb 2003

London's Liberal Democrat Euro-MP Baroness Sarah Ludford joined the million marchers - a large proportion of them Londoners - taking part in the Stop the War march in London last Saturday. Seven million people throughout Europe joined protests.

She said:

"It was a tremendously impressive example of participation, giving the lie to the myth of political apathy. There was a huge cross-section of society represented."

"Like almost everybody who protested, I am under no illusions about the brutality of Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq, but I'm not persuaded of the case for war. My fear is that a pre-emptive strike will feed the fires of terrorism rather than doing anything to put them out."

"Trust in politicians has been a sad casualty of the attempt to manipulate us through 'spin' into an early war. Prime Minister Tony Blair must listen to the doubts and anxieties of the British people, not just tell us arrogantly that he is forging ahead with George Bush regardless of public opinion."