Browne under fire in sailors' stories row

Defence Secretary Des Browne is still in the firing line over the Royal Navy captives selling their stories.

Mr Browne has accepted responsibility for allowing them to be paid to talk about their time in Iranian custody.

Prime Minister Tony Blair said in hindsight it was not a good idea and there will be a Commons debate on the issue on Monday when MPs return from the Easter break.

Conservative leader David Cameron has demanded an inquiry after Mr Browne said the Navy gave the sailors the go-ahead to earn money from reliving their 13-day ordeal to the media. He said he was told of the move and initially agreed with it before pulling the plug.

Mr Browne said: "I knew about the decision. A note indicating the decision and the analysis of the regulations that supported that decision came into my office on Thursday and early on Friday afternoon one of my officials took me through that.

"Clearly over the weekend I thought about the decision and over that weekend I accepted the analysis that was put forward to me by the Navy but I wasn't content with it. Clearly with hindsight I could have made a different decision."

Mr Browne imposed a ban on more sales after the publication and broadcast of the first stories sparked an angry backlash.

The only female hostage, Leading Seaman Faye Turney sold her story to The Sun newspaper and ITV programme Tonight With Trevor McDonald.

She said a percentage of her fee was going to help personnel on her ship HMS Cornwall and their families while the remainder would go into a trust fund for her daughter.

The youngest captive, Arthur Batchelor, 20, sold his account to the Daily Mirror. He claims some of the money would also go to HMS Cornwall, but he also wanted to help his care worker sister who had taken two weeks unpaid leave while he was held captive.

Shadow Defence Secretary Liam Fox said: "Typically, New Labour's obsession with news management trumped issues of dignity, professionalism and discipline.

"The MoD's actions were completely at odds with normal procedure and totally out of character with the ethos of our armed forces."

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