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MPs push for sailor story answers Sailors' story answers demanded
(about 2 hours later)
Opposition parties say they will continue to press ministers over the decision to allow British sailors freed by Iran to sell their stories. Ministers have come under renewed pressure over allowing British sailors freed by Iran to sell their stories.
That comes despite government attempts to draw a line under the affair. Tony Blair said "in hindsight" the navy's decision was not a "good idea". Shadow foreign secretary William Hague said the decision had undermined the reputation of Britain's armed forces.
The prime minister has also maintained he was not involved in the decision. He stopped short of calling for Des Browne's resignation but said the defence secretary's statement to MPs on Monday would be "very, very important".
Former Army public relations head Lord Ramsbotham said it was unlikely that Downing Street was not kept informed. Mr Browne has said he took full responsibility for the navy's decision to allow the stories to be sold.
Defence Secretary Des Browne is to make a Commons statement on Monday. He said he had been asked on Friday to "note" the decision and even though he was not "content" with it, he felt he had little choice but to give it his blessing, following analysis of the rules.
Mr Browne has said he takes full responsibility for allowing the stories to be sold, while the prime minister has said he was not involved in the decision being made. "Clearly with hindsight... I could have made a different decision," the defence secretary said on Wednesday.
Prime minister Tony Blair has said allowing the sailors to sell their story to the media was not a "good idea" but said he had not been involved in the decision.
Mr Hague said the accounts given by the prime minister and Mr Browne had left the impression "we have not got the full picture".
'Very odd'
He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme it was "very odd" that Downing Street had not been more closely involved "in a very centralised administration where number 10 is routinely consulted by all departments".
I want everyone out there to know my story from my side, see what I went through Leading Seaman Faye Turney Captive 'felt like a traitor' Stories sale criticism grows Tories slam decisionI want everyone out there to know my story from my side, see what I went through Leading Seaman Faye Turney Captive 'felt like a traitor' Stories sale criticism grows Tories slam decision
Former general Lord Ramsbotham told Radio 4's Today: "One wants to know how the decision taken by the Second Sea Lord... came to be taken and was then merely noted by the secretary of state. "The relationship of Downing Street to this decision has not yet really been established."
"And what role did number 10's press office play in this? And he said more questions should be asked about what safeguards had been put in place after a similar incident in 2004 when British servicemen were seized by Iran in the Shatt al-Arab waterway.
"My experience is that everything was referred to number 10 of some magnitude like this." 'Serious failing'
Lord Ramsbotham blamed the "mistake" on a government decision to remove the posts of individual directors of public relations for each of the armed forces three years ago. He said the decision had "shattered political unity" on Britain's policy towards Iran and "cut across" a Royal Navy inquiry into how the sailors were captured.
"The job of director of public relations was to be the middle man between the media, the public and the military," he said. "Before we have the results of any of that, we have stories being sold to the newspapers.
"There've been more problems between the military and the media since that decision was taken than I can ever remember." "So all of these things wrapped up in one decision: it's quite a serious ministerial failing," he told Today.
'Cheap and tatty' Mr Hague suggested he would be calling for Des Browne's resignation if the defence secretary failed to provide satisfactory answers in his statement to MPs.
Earlier, Tory leader David Cameron responded to Mr Browne's comments by saying there should be a full Ministry of Defence inquiry, to allow lessons to be learned. "The statement that Des Browne is going to make in the Commons on Monday is very, very important.
HAVE YOUR SAY These young people have been cynically used by the UK government in its war of words with Iran Terence Phillips, Worcester class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?threadID=5968&edition=1">Send us your comments "We need to know after that statement - we need to be able to assess - whether he commands the confidence of the people working under his political direction in the armed forces and whether he's given satisfactory answers to these questions."
He also said there were more questions to be answered about whether the prime minister had any role in the "dreadful decision" to allow the military personnel to sell their stories. BBC political editor Nick Robinson said it was unlikely Mr Browne would be sacked, because the prime minister, who is expected to resign after the May elections, was "not in a position to hire or fire anybody right now".
The government's "cheap and tatty" focus on short-term headlines could cause long-term damage to the armed forces, and he said the buck stopped with the prime minister. But, he added, the defence secretary may no longer be considered a "safe pair of hands" when it came to future Cabinet reshuffles.
Liberal Democrat Chris Huhne said the armed forces wanted capable and competent leadership, but it had been a "complete mess up". Full inquiry
Arthur Batchelor, 20, the youngest of the British sailors to be held captive, told the Daily Mirror about his "nightmare" at the hands of his captors - and how they likened him to Mr Bean. Tory leader David Cameron responded to Mr Browne's comments by saying there should be a full Ministry of Defence inquiry, to allow lessons to be learned.
He said the government's "cheap and tatty" focus on short-term headlines could cause long-term damage to the armed forces, and the buck stopped with the prime minister.
Chris Huhne, for the Liberal Democrats, said the armed forces wanted capable and competent leadership, but it had been a "complete mess up".
Arthur Batchelor, 20, the youngest of the British sailors to be held captive, told the Daily Mirror about his "nightmare" at the hands of his captors.
And Leading Seaman Faye Turney sold her story to ITV1's Tonight with Trevor Macdonald and the Sun newspaper - reportedly for a six-figure sum, some of which will go to navy families.And Leading Seaman Faye Turney sold her story to ITV1's Tonight with Trevor Macdonald and the Sun newspaper - reportedly for a six-figure sum, some of which will go to navy families.
"I want everyone out there to know my story from my side, see what I went through," she told ITV's Tonight programme.
The Royal Navy crew were on patrol boats in the Gulf on 23 March when they were detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard - the Iranians said they had strayed into its waters, which the British deny.The Royal Navy crew were on patrol boats in the Gulf on 23 March when they were detained by Iran's Revolutionary Guard - the Iranians said they had strayed into its waters, which the British deny.