Oxford East MP Andrew Smith has hit back at anti-war campaigners who ambushed a college meeting while he was giving a speech.

FLASHBACK: MP Andrew Smith faces anti-war protesters before a Labour Party meeting on March 14

Mr Smith said six peace campaigners from the lobby group Oxford Pledgers, who blocked his view as he tried to speak at Oxford University Labour Club on May 8, refused to take part in a peaceful debate.

He said their actions had been counter-productive because he had planned to speak to the meeting about the war in Iraq.

Mr Smith also denied accusations that he ripped a poster from the hands of a protester.

He said: "Their actions were unreasonable and completely counterproductive.

"I offered them the chance to talk about the issue, along with students, whom I believe have similar views.

"I was fully prepared to have a civilised discussion about it."

The protesters, who carried pictures bearing the slogans "unjust, illegal and immoral", said they had achieved their aim of bringing the talk to an end.

Oxford University Labour Club said the protesters disrupted what was meant to have been a peaceful meeting to pass its own anti-war statement.

Chairman James Cloyne said: "It was really disappointing.

"Even though our meetings are only for members and these campaigners sneaked in, I was prepared to let them sit down and peacefully ask questions.

"But they insisted on causing disruption. It's a real shame because the club and its members are anti-war.

"What the protesters did was stop a productive meeting that could have had more of an effect."

Mr Smith has been targeted by protesters a number of times over the war.

He received an envelope at his constituency office containing a brown substance, initially thought to be excrement, which turned out to be kebab meat, and an offensive message relating to the war in Iraq.

Demonstrators forced Amnesty International to cancel a meeting due to be addressed by Mr Smith.

Last month, he was due to address a meeting on human rights at Green College in Woodstock Road, but members of Amnesty said they could not pay for extra security requested by the college.

On April 4, the venue for Mr Smith's constituency surgeries was switched to his Cowley office after protesters announced they planned to picket his surgeries outside Barton Community Centre, the Chinese Community Centre, in Princes Street, and Rose Hill Community Centre.

But about 30 protesters discovered the switch, which had not been publicised, and managed to confront Mr Smith.

In March, six police horses and 18 officers were drafted in to protect Mr Smith from peace campaigners, who had gathered outside a Labour Party meeting at the Asian Culture Centre in Manzil Way, east Oxford, to demand his deselection.

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