"What is the point of an inquiry behind closed doors? No family would be happy with that. We already feel that we have been lied to by the government. We don't want any more lies. We would be prepared to go to Downing Street if the inquiry is not transparent."
Rose Gentle

Gordon Brown was under intense pressure last night to throw open a new inquiry into the Iraq war to the public as families of soldiers who died, and anti-war MPs, reacted with horror to suggestions it would be held largely in secret.

Cabinet sources said the prime minister would announce an inquiry early this week, probably on Tuesday. Its structure would be "similar but not identical" to the Franks inquiry into the 1982 Falklands war, which was held behind closed doors.

Last night, as families of the dead said they would march on Downing Street if any of its deliberations were kept secret, Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg stoked the controversy saying he would boycott the entire investigation if it was not open, wide in its remit and did not report speedily.

LONDON (Reuters) - British soldiers serving abroad are protected by Human Rights laws, the Court of Appeal ruled on Monday in a verdict the government warned could have serious implications on overseas operations.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) said it was very concerned about any attempt to insert lawyers into the chain of command in the heat of battle.

Three judges dismissed challenges by the government to a High Court ruling last year over the death of Private Jason Smith, who died of heatstroke in Iraq while serving with the Territorial Army, the Press Association reported.

"The state must make reasonable efforts to provide protection to soldiers wherever they are. It's not a particularly onerous duty," lawyer Jocelyn Cockburn, who represents Smith's family, told reporters.

Pauline Graham was told that politicians did not have sufficient funds to get vital equipment to troops fighting in the Middle East.

Click to watch video

The grandmother of Gordon Gentle, who was killed serving his country in Iraq, has spoken of her anger at the unfolding controversy over MPs' expenses.

Pauline Graham was told that politicians did not have sufficient funds to get vital equipment to troops fighting in the Middle East.

She believes lives could have been saved if taxpayers' money had been better spent.

She told STV News: "What I would say to those MPs who've stolen our taxpayers' money is to pay it back. Pay it to people that need it. I mean, give it to the troops."

Three soldiers killed in Afghanistan on a day when four men died have been named by the Ministry of Defence.

Sgt Ben Ross, from 3rd Regiment, Royal Military Police, and Cpl Kumar Pun, from the 1st Battalion The Royal Gurkha Rifles, died in a suicide attack.

Rifleman Adrian Sheldon, 25, from 2nd Battalion The Rifles, died in a separate explosion on Thursday.

Cpl Sean Binnie, 22, of the Black Watch had already been named as having been shot. All died in Helmand Province.

Click to see Military Families on Newsnight

On Wednesday 25 March members of Military Families Against the War delivered a letter to Gordon Brown calling for a full public inquiry into the Iraq war and its background. Reg Keys, Rose Gentle and Peter Brierley all lost sons in the Iraq war and have campaigned tirelessly for an Inquiry.

Later in Parliament foreign secretary David Milliband confirmed that an Inquiry will begin in July.

The head of the Army is ready to send up to 2,000 extra troops to Afghanistan amid fears that the US-led mission will struggle without significant reinforcements.

It was an issue that proved almost as contentious as the decision to go to war: were British troops sent into battle with equipment that left them dangerously exposed to enemy fire?

MORE than 100 British soldiers have suffered amputations and other debilitating injuries in the past year in Afghanistan, according to previously suppressed Ministry of Defence (MoD) figures that reveal the true toll of the Taliban’s roadside bombing campaign.

It is now six years since we went into Iraq. On June 28th it will be five years to the day since I lost my boy. It's a day I can't get away from. I can remember watching the news when it said that a British soldier had been killed. I looked at the TV and saw the body of a boy on the ground. No, it can't be Gordon, I thought, as I would have been told by now. But it was. Four hours later I was told it was Gordon.

From the Independent

For far too long the mental health of our former soldiers has been shamefully ignored by government. And we are calling for that to change.

Conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder can take years to emerge. So the men and women who have put their lives at risk for us in Iraq, Afghanistan and other conflicts must know that we are committed to them even when they leave the armed services.

So how can you help?

Firstly showing you care. Click here to sign a petition to make your views know to Downing Street.

Secondly help them directly. Combat Stress provides support and counselling to veterans in the community and badly needs donations to continue their valuable work. Click here to give.

Also, veterans can tell us their stories and you can give us feedback on the campaign in the comment form here.

THE government’s human rights watchdog, chaired by Trevor Phillips, is taking on the Ministry of Defence (MoD) in a test case to extend human rights laws to soldiers on the battlefield.

It will tell the High Court this week that all British soldiers have the right to life and that the MoD has “a duty of care” to protect them — even in the heat of battle.

The military operation in Afghanistan is "worthless" and akin to the start of the Vietnam war, former SAS commander Maj Sebastian Morley has said.

Speaking to the Daily Telegraph, he said the government had "blood on its hands" over the "unnecessary" deaths of four soldiers.

The families of British military personnel killed in Iraq will get Government help to visit the country and see improvements in the country their loved ones fought and died for, a defence minister has said.

Bob Ainsworth said seeing that advances in Iraq's society, economy and security will persuade families that "the loss of their sons was not in vain."

Marina Feasey, mother of two soldiers serving in Afghanistan says all British troops should be withdrawn immediately.

"The government is sending them to their slaughter. The troops are making security conditions worse."

"It's understandable that the Afghans viewed the British as invaders. If this country was invaded we would also fight until the occupiers left. My main concern over the war is the number of lives being lost. Barely a day now passes without the death of a soldier being announced.

I think a lot of people in this country believe the Afghans should be left to sort out their own problems. The idea that our troops are somehow keeping our streets safe by fighting in Afghanistan is nonsense. We are being attacked in this country because of our involvement in Afghanistan."

The MoD said the soldier's next of kin have been informed.

The death on Monday afternoon brings the total number of UK troops killed while serving in Afghanistan since 2001 to 133.

Four Royal Marines were killed last week in southern Afghanistan in two separate explosions.

The soldier, who has not been named yet, was at a Forward Operating Base in the Gereshk area of Helmand Province when he was wounded.

He received immediate medical treatment and was taken by helicopter to a military hospital in Kandahar but died from his injuries.

Commander Paula Rowe said: "The death of this soldier is another hard blow to everyone at Task Force Helmand.

"Our loss is nothing though compared to that of his family and friends, and our thoughts and prayers are with them at this dreadful time."

BBC Online

• Race to open new Afghan supply lines
• Nato seeks northern route as resurgent Taliban exposes 'achilles heel'

Nato countries are scrambling for alternative routes as far afield as Belarus and Ukraine to supply their forces in Afghanistan, which are increasingly vulnerable to a resurgent Taliban, the Guardian has learned.

Four serious attacks on US and Nato supplies in Pakistan during the past month, including two in the past three days, have added to the sense of urgency to conclude pacts with former Soviet republics bordering Afghanistan to the north.

Nato is negotiating with Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to allow supplies for Nato forces, including fuel, to cross borders into Afghanistan from the north. The deal, which officials said was close to being agreed, follows an agreement with Moscow this year allowing Nato supplies to be transported by rail or road through Russia.

The deal could allow more fuel for Nato forces to be transported from refineries in Baku, Azerbaijan, and Turkmenistan. Most of the 75m gallons of fuel estimated to be used by Nato forces annually in Afghanistan comes from refineries in Pakistan.