THE father of a young military policeman killed in Iraq launched his campaign to oust the Prime Minister from his North-East seat yesterday.

Reg Keys, father of Lance Corporal Tom Keys, is standing against Tony Blair in Sedgefield, County Durham, in the General Election.

He told the people of Sedgefield they had an opportunity to make Mr Blair accountable for "an unjust war in Iraq" by electing him as their independent MP on May 5.

Mr Keys, from North Wales, said: "I feel our Prime Minister has betrayed us and he refuses to be accountable.

"We have a Prime Minister that has led us into an illegal war costing billions of pounds, which could be better spent. Where is the accountability?"

The 52-year-old accused Mr Blair of misleading Parliament over the reasons for going to war by falsely claiming Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction.

He said: "Tony Blair told this country and the house that Saddam Hussein posed an imminent threat to UK interests.

"That was clearly a lie. Iraq had no such capabilities to launch such a strike.

"My son marched off to war believing what he was told. He came back riddled with 31 bullets, 84 others died, 850 returned home wounded and 100,000 people of Iraq were killed."

Mr Keys' supporters include Roxy Music star Brian Eno, who is funding his campaign, former Independent MP Martin Bell, and ex-Sunderland North MP Bob Clay.

L Cpl Keys was one of six Red Caps killed by an Iraqi mob as they manned a small police station in Al Majar Al Kabir on June 24, 2003.

The ambush also claimed the lives of two soldiers from the region - Lance Corporal Benjamin Hyde, from Northallerton, North Yorkshire, and Corporal Simon Miller, from Washington, Wearside.

Former ambulance driver Mr Keys assured voters in Sedgefield that he was not a one issue candidate, saying: "This is not a publicity stunt.

"If people give me this chance I would be a fledgling politician, but be assured I will do my best for them. As an independent MP I would not wish to tow any party line," he said.

Renegade spy David Shayler and former model Cherri Gilham are also contesting Mr Blair's seat from an anti-war stance. Other candidates include Robert Brown (Liberal Democrats), Al Lockwood (Conservative) and Jonathan Cockburn (Independent).