Voting for the election of some 30,000 members of local councils took p-ace in the Egyptian and Syrian regions of the Untied Arab Republic on July 8. The rival candidates for the council seats were all members of the National Union party.

A new National Assembly - forming a link between Government and people - will eventually be created, its members being drawn from those elected to the local councils.

President Nasser, who in a pre-election statement said he thought that the present one party system was necessary for "fulfilling the revolution", was among those how voted at one of the polling booths in Cairo.

Both men and women took part in the elections, and there was a fine of GBP1 for anyone not voting.