The government is at the centre of a bitter new row over the arms-to-Africa affair after a committee of MPs demanded an urgent debate on the issue.

Foreign Secretary Robin Cook angrily hit back at the MPs who had attacked him for failing to hand over crucial documents in the affair.

In a bluntly-worded statement, he accused the Labour-dominated committee of behaving in an "unreasonable" and "over-the-top" manner.

Unreasonable demand

"I have offered the select committee wider access to more official papers than any previous government.

"I am glad the select committee welcomes that offer, but it is unreasonable of the select committee to demand the documents while they are before the inquiry of Sir Thomas Legg.

"They will have full access to the same documents as soon as his report is available and it is over the top to make an issue of principle out of a few weeks waiting time."

Later, Leader of the House Ann Taylor faced a barrage of attacks in the Commons after she also slapped down the committee's request and refused to make time for a debate.

She was accused by Liberal Democrat Paul Tyler of acting as a member of the government rather than in her role as Commons leader and told by Tory Patrick Cormack that it was her "duty" to meet the committee's concerns.

But she stonewalled a series of questions and insisted she would look at the committee's report but was unlikely to allow a debate until after the Legg inquiry had reported.

Constitutional significance

Many MPs from both sides are furious that the effect of the delay will be to see the issue put off until the Commons has broken up for its summer recess.

Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Howard claimed the affair was of "great constitutional significance".

"It is quite difficult to resist the inference that the government is doing all it can to hide behind the Legg report.