Renewed calls for Hoon to resign after reportedly calling Kelly ‘no martyr’

BRITISH Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was last night accused of “bullying” after he reportedly said the Government weapons expert David Kelly was “no martyr” and that he took his life because he feared he would be exposed as a liar.

Tory defence spokesman Nicholas Soames renewed his calls for Mr Hoon to resign, saying his comments were "all of a piece" with the Government's actions in dealing with the scientist.

The pressure on Mr Hoon seen as a potential casualty of the Hutton report due to be published next week increased after the Sunday Times reported comments he was said to have made last week to friends about Dr Kelly.

He reportedly said the scientist was "no martyr" and committed suicide because he feared he was to be revealed as a liar.

He was also said to have expressed anger at the effect of Dr Kelly's actions on senior MoD officials.

"Good peoplehave had their reputations traduced. Why? Because of this man's (Dr Kelly's) actions. What if they had killed themselves?" he was reported to have said.

Mr Soames said the time had come for Mr Hoon to resign.

"The conduct of the Government is all of a piece, of bullying and misleading, and I have no doubt that Hutton will show that this is the case," he told Sky News.

"I believe that his (Mr Hoon's) behaviour over this has been lamentable, I think his performance as Secretary of State for Defence has been pretty inadequate and I think it is about time that he considered his position."

The Ministry of Defence refused to comment on Mr Hoon's reported comments.