GERALDINE Smith has been given an award as campaigning MP of the year' (Citizen, Feb-ruary 9).

I am amazed at this, consi-dering she cannot even regulate the cockling in Morecambe Bay to protect the local industry and reduce the risk of further loss of life.

I understand the Solway Firth has a sensible system in place perhaps we could learn from them.

She also claims credit for the Gangmasters' Bill' but surely immigration should be stamped out anyway. And why did it take the appalling loss of life for common sense to prevail?

She bangs on about some vague licensing system, which her own Government say is impractical and is not even supported by the Chinese community. Surely all that is required is to restrict the number of permits issued, giving priority to the local authority and regulate the terms of fishing.

I was amazed that the omni-present Diane Abbott MP pro-posed Ms Smith for this award.

Only a matter of weeks ago on the political review programme This Week' she said Geraldine Smith is a good woman but a serious heavyweight politician'.

It seems to me the Labour Party is mainly concerned with holding on to the Morecambe seat and this probably explains the award.

I note also that Ms Smith had an unspecified Westminster commitment' and was unable to attend the meeting called by campaigners against the M6-Heysham link last week perfectly acceptable for her but apparently not for Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw, according to her xenophobic acolyte T S Senior (Citizen Letters last week)

P Mitchell, Morecambe.