MPs are targeted by anti-EU group

The MPs Julia Drown (South Swindon) and Michael Wills (North Swindon) are being targeted by the anti-Europe Democracy Movement, of which Lady Annabel Goldsmith is president.

Professionally-produced newspapers, costing upwards of £250,000 to publish and distribute, have been shipped into Swindon in a muck-raking campaign ahead of the General Election.

Already Ms Drown is seeking legal advice to see if she should take court action against what she angrily dismissed as "lies" and "gross misrepresentation".

The Democracy Movement, which operates from a smart, south-west London address, has drawn up a hitlist of MPs it is portraying as anti-British.

Unlike its parent organisation, the Referendum Party, the Democracy Movement will not field candidates in the General Election.

The style of presentation of the literature is that of a rogues' gallery. A complete newspaper is devoted to each MP, with a large photograph on the front page.

The headline on both newspapers being delivered to homes in north and south Swindon declares: Local MP wants to scrap the pound.

In a press release, the Democracy Movement boasts of its personal attack on Swindon's two MPs.

"Every household in the constituency will receive a copy," it says.

The press release then proceeds to change Ms Drown's gender, calling her Julian.

"They spend all that money and they can't even get my name right," Ms Drown countered. "This is the work of rich Londoners who are trying to hoodwink the people of Swindon with lies.

"It's scandalous to suggest that I'm in favour of selling Britain down the river into a European superstate. I believe that we should only go further down the European road if and when it is in the interests of Britain to do so. I have a completely open mind on the issue unlike the so-called Democracy Movement, which is scare-mongering and short on truth. I really must seek legal advice on this because it's nothing more than muck-raking and scandalous misrepresentation."

Democracy Movement spokes-man Martin Minns revealed that his organisation had already received threats to sue from two MPs on the "hitlist".

He said: "If any hitlist MP can prove we're wildly wrong, then we will publish an apology and distribute it to every house in that particular constituency. But before we get anywhere near that far, MPs tend to back off by 100 miles.

"All the targeted MPs will be invited to debate their position openly and this will be happening in Swindon, so you'll have the chance to judge those who have the courage of their convictions."

Sir James Goldsmith, the publishing tycoon and financier, founded the Referendum Party, which fielded many candidates in the last General Election. Sir James, a close friend of Princess Diana and the Prince of Wales, was the father of Jemima, who is married to cricketer Imran Khan. Sir James's £1.5 billion fortune has been divided among his widow, his first wife, a mistress and eight children.

Mr Wills said: "This is lurid propaganda and it's wrong. Everybody is entitled to their view but they're not entitled to misrepresent mine.

"My view is that the decision on the single currency must be taken in the British national interest and that, in the end, the British people must be able to decide if they want to go in, in a referendum."