FOLLOWING the resignation of Gravesham Labour councillor Shahid Aslam over Tony Blair's drive to war with Iraq, five more Kent Labour councillors have openly joined the peace movement.

And some are also considering resigning from the Party over the issue. The five councillors are Stuart Smith (Town ward, Medway Council); Clem Rutter (Frindsbury ward, Medway Council); Ruth Burgess (Coldharbour ward, Gravesham Council); Steve Williams (Singleton ward, Ashford Council); Ian Smart (Sheerness East ward, Swale Council).

Cllr Smart, 62, says he may stand as an independent at the next borough council by-elections on May 1. Cllr Smart, who has already resigned as chairman of the local Labour Party branch, was elected to the council last May with 453 votes.

The five join two Maidstone borough councillors, plus a Southborough Town councillor, who have already openly opposed the war. They are Cllr Janetta Sams (Harrietsham and Lenham ward, Maidstone; Cllr Tom Sams (Harrietsham and Lenham ward, Maidstone); Cllr Andrew Lohmann (Southborough Town Council, Tunbridge Wells)

Other Labour councillors in Kent are privately against the war, but have yet to go public.

Gravesham Labour councillor Shahid Aslam has already given up his seat in protest at the looming conflict against Iraq.

Mr Aslam has also quit the Labour Party and is calling for people to use their vote in the May local elections to express their views on the issue.

Mr Aslam has labelled the Government's policy over war as "morally bankrupt". He stressed: "Tony Blair called for the population of this country to let him know what they think at the ballot box. With the local elections looming, I would urge people to take him at his word."

Mr Aslam, who is also a solicitor and a magistrate, said the Labour government had chosen "to ignore the vast majority of public and international opinion, not to mention international law".

He has now offered the Gravesend Stop The War Campaign his full support and says he will help local peace campaigners in any way he can.

Mr Aslam was elected to represent Gravesend's Central ward in 1999. In a letter to the Council's Head of Democratic Services, he said he has become disillusioned with New Labour and "the clandestine machinations of political life".