THE grieving Kirklees mum of a dead war hero has become the first person to receive a personal letter from Tony Blair defending the conflict in Iraq.
Pauline Hickey's beloved 30-year-old son, Christian, a sergeant with the Coldstream Guards, died in a roadside bomb blast in October while on duty in Basra.
The devastated mum from East Bierley, near Birkenshaw, has since resolutely campaigned for an end to the war in a bid to stop more British lives being lost.
She joined forces with other bereaved families of servicemen killed in Iraq to plead for a meeting with Mr Blair.
They delivered a letter to Downing Street in March and Mrs Hickey has been waiting for an answer since. She is thought to be the first person to receive a personal letter from Mr Blair in which he defends the war but still refuses to meet bereaved families.
Speaking from her home, Mrs Hickey said: "It's a very defensive letter.
"He's written about how well equipped the armed forces are and that protecting the troops is one of his highest priorities.
"He says his objective has always been to establish a free, democratic and united Iraq.
"He also advised me not to put too much faith in reports, such as those when the 100th soldier was killed."
Mrs Hickey said Mr Blair did not refer to her frequent requests for a face-to-face meeting, nor their determined campaign for British troops to be withdrawn.
She has now sent another letter repeating her demand to meet the Prime Minister.
She had previously received a letter of acknowledgement from No 10 shortly after she sent her first letter.
But she was among hundreds of disgruntled families left out in the cold when Mr Blair refused to meet them in April.
When Downing Street was asked if it was the first time Mr Blair had written directly to a serviceman's family over the Iraq war a spokesman refused to be drawn.
He would only say that it was `not unusual' for the Prime Minister to respond to a letter addressed to him.
