TWICKENHAM Labour party was thrown into crisis last year when two thirds of its top officials resigned over the war in Iraq, it has emerged.

The government's actions in the Middle East had divided' Labour members in the constituency, secretary Ken Elmes admitted at the AGM in Teddington. He described this situation as very unpalatable'.

He acknowledged that 2003 was a trying' year for Labour, both in Twickenham and nationally, and declared that Iraq had overshadowed many of the government's achievements since 1997.

Mr Elmes told comrades: "We had two of our three main officers resigning their posts, leaving the constituency party in limbo for a few months. It is not the party I joined in '53."

Mr Elmes was elected secretary in June 2003, having previously served as deputy secretary.

Despite the turmoil, party membership in Twickenham held up during the year.

In his annual report, Mr Elmes also revealed a level of apathy among the lower level Labour branches. Only one of these branches in the constituency is fully functional', he said - this is Fulwell and Hampton Hill.

He also talked about improvements to the constituency party's meeting hall.