Protesters halt Blair speech

Demonstrators have not stopped a Commons debate since 1987

A group of anti-war protesters from Oxford halted a House of Commons debate over the Hutton report.

Prime Minister Tony Blair's opening speech to MPs was interrupted by cries of "whitewash" and "illegal war" from the public gallery.

The sitting was suspended for the first time in 17 years while seven activists were taken away by police to cells in the Commons.

Mr Blair brushed off the protest, telling MPs Lord Hutton's inquiry into the death of the Oxfordshire scientist Dr David Kelly had cleared the government of any wrongdoing.

One member of the Oxford Citizens for Truth group, father-of-two Richard Hering, was released early without charge because he suffers from diabetes.

Speaking outside, the 42-year-old said: "Last week we had a total whitewash in the Hutton Inquiry and yesterday there was proposed another whitewash, the Butler Inquiry, where the government is seeking to blame the intelligence services."

The three other men and three women arrested with him were expected to be released when the debate on Lord Hutton's findings ended.