Go-ahead for Gulf War Syndrome research

Some veterans believe the vaccinations they received helped the onset of Gulf War Syndrome

British veterans suffering from Gulf War Syndrome are to undergo government-funded clinical tests.

The Armed Forces Minister, John Reid, said the two-year research programme would provide a "thorough and objective" assessment of the condition.

Veterans will be picked at random to take part in the £250,000 study at King's College School of Medicine

More than 2,000 British veterans say they are suffering from the syndrome

But campaigners for the veterans accused the government, which does not recognise the disease, of playing for time.

Dr Reid said: "The clinical testing programme will provide a thorough and objective assessment of the conditions which these veterans are suffering from."

Victims have experienced a series of debilitating illnesses including muscle wastage and depression.

The syndrome has been blamed by some on a cocktail of vaccinations taken by service personnel in the 1991 Gulf conflict and on Iraq's biological weapons.

But campaigners and veterans called the initiative a time-wasting move that would not help sufferers in the short term.

Andrew Honer says he has the illness that the government does not recognise

Andrew Honer, of the Gulf Veterans Association, said: "This is another opportunity for the government to play for time.

"We are still calling for recognition of the fact that we are ill as a result of our service in the Gulf and there is evidence to confirm this."

The Chairman of the National Gulf Veterans and Families Association, Tony Flint, said two veterans are dying each month as a result of the illness and the additional research funding would not help ill veterans and their families.

And solicitor Hilary Meredith, of Manchester-based Donn & Co, which is representing more than 1,300 veterans, said her clients have lost confidence in the government.

"It is now going to take another two years and the government has lost credibility with my clients. They want a cure."

Two months ago veterans converged on the Ministry of Defence to hand back medals from the conflict in protest at what they see as government inaction over Gulf War Syndrome.