However the ruins provided cover for the Germans before the abbey finally fell

However, the ruins provided cover for the Germans before the abbey finally fell.. He also questioned whether “US air security operations were deliberately ’stood down’ on 9/11.”The US government accused Mr Meacher of being “monstrously offensive” while Downing Street condemned his remarks in The Guardian.But yesterday Mr Meacher said he “specifically and explicitly did not say this.” He said he was “not a conspiracy theorist” and he did not believe September 11 was part of a US government plot.Mr Meacher said the story posed a series of unanswered questions about the US’s failure to act over September 11, which he thought should be investigated by Congress or a UK parliamentary committee. He said they did not reflect his personal view.”I am not a conspiracy theorist or making accusations that America planned this. All I was saying is there are some unanswered questions about why they didn’t follow up intelligence leads about September 11 from a number of sources,” he said. “I am raising unanswered and legitimate questions.”Mr Meacher accused the press of stating as fact, and as his personal view, the issues he posed as questions in The Guardian, which was reproduced in The Mail on Sunday.Mr Meacher questioned why the US failed to act after at least 11 countries warned of possible attacks.. Geoff Hoon will come under intense pressure today over his role in the affair of David Kelly’s death as MPs return to Parliament after their summer break.

The Secretary of State for Defence, who was present for a meeting at which the policy of naming Dr Kelly was approved, is expected to face angry questions from MPs over the strategy. They believe he should have done more to protect the expert on weapons of mass destruction.One loyalist Labour MP said Mr Hoon could not expect the same backbench support as previous ministers who have been in trouble because he is seen as an “aloof” character who does not care what backbenchers think.”We are waiting for the defenestration of Mr Hoon He is not going to get our support like Byers did. Basically, Byers was a nice guy who was prepared to take on Railtrack. You never see anything of Hoon and he’s pretty aloof and has some serious questions to answer over Kelly,” the MP said. Mr Hoon may try to fend off damaging questions by arguing that he cannot comment on the events leading to the death of Dr Kelly while the Hutton inquiry is hearing evidence.

One of Mr Hoon’s closest political aides admitted last week that Mr Hoon was present at a meeting in his office when there was a discussion about revealing the scientist’s identity to the press. Mr Hoon implied in his evidence to the inquiry he was not involved in any discussions.The Hutton inquiry, entering its fifth week, could also hear evidence this week from an American spy, a friend and former colleague of Dr Kelly, who, it emerged yesterday, has been questioned by officials investigating his death. Sgt Mai Pederson, a spy for the US air force and a member of the Baha’i faith, who introduced Dr Kelly to its teachings, served with him on UN weapons inspection teams in Iraq in 1998 The Government’s critics also stepped up their attacks. Clare Short, who resigned as International Development Secretary, accused Tony Blair of flouting “proper procedure” and “a willingness to be economical with the actuality”. Ms Short said the Kelly affair exposed “a disease that has corroded the integrity of the Blair government”.* A poll by Populus for today’s Times shows Labour’s lead up five percentage points on a month ago, at 39 per cent, with the Conservatives two points up at 34 per cent The Liberal Democrats, at 19 per cent, are down six points..

The Cabinet is to consider a plan to hand millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money to political parties to revive their withering grassroots organisations. Previously, Mr Blair has suggested he would not press ahead without an all-party consensus, fearing a backlash from voters.The change of strategy is revealed in an interview with The Independent today by Peter Hain, the Leader of the Commons. He chairs a new cabinet committee on electoral policy which is to draw up a policy on state funding. Although no figure has been set, some government advisers believe the move could result in about £30m a year being channelled into the parties.Mr Hain said the Government would not wait for the Electoral Commission to produce its blueprint for state funding next summer but would work “in parallel” to it.He said: “Politics needs political parties Political parties can only run with money. Everyone agrees that it is not desirable to have parties relying on big donations from multinational companies, wealthy individuals or even trade unions.”The prospect of state funding will worry the unions as the TUC’s annual conference in Brighton begins today. Some Blairites have long regarded state aid as a way of weakening the link between Labour and its union founders.But Mr Hain insisted: “Trade unions, when they realise it is not a Trojan horse for breaking the link but strengthening the party organisation, will welcome this. The umbilical cord that links Labour to the trade unions is absolutely crucial.”He said he would not support a “trade off” under which state funding was accompanied by a cap on individual donations, perhaps £5,000 This is likely to be recommended by the Commission.