So Gordon Brown is now speaking of his admiration for and comparing himself to Margaret Thatcher.

He says he is a politician of conviction just like her.

Some months ago he also mentioned Gandhi as a great influence on his political career. No one had more conviction than Gandhi, of course.

So why does he not talk of how he could match the qualities of Gandhi?

Of course, he cannot.

Gandhi was a man of non-violence...Gordon Brown is not that.

Blair might have encouraged the British involvement in Iraq but all those in Parliament who voted for it, including Mr Brown, also have a lot of blood on their hands.

Mr Brown as Chancellor wrote out the cheques for the mess that resulted in the deaths of some 655,000 innocent Iraqi women, men and children and hundreds of British servicemen.

High time that people in Britain put into positions of power only those who do not want to take us into war and only those who did not vote for the war in Iraq. You know it makes sense.

NICK RALLS, Southampton.