A wedge in the "special relationship"

British constitutional affairs minister Harriet Harman has harshly criticised the American government for its continued refusal to supply witnesses to a coroner's inquest over British deaths in Iraq. She is quoted as saying:

"We have an expectation they should come, so the bereaved relatives of the deceased servicemen can actually ask questions of what happened.

"When they do not come that is not acceptable and we are prepared to say that is not acceptable.

"If our service people have died in Iraq the very least we can do is make sure there is a proper inquest, so their families can understand the truth of the situation of how their loved ones died."

An inquest held into the death of ITN newsman, Andrew Lloyd, at the hands of US forces has already returned a verdict of "unlawful killing" and refused to accept statements submitted by American personnel and asked for the as yet unnamed Marines to be extradited to the UK.

Ms. Harman plans to make representations to American officials but there is no word as to whether an official extradition request is likely to be forthcoming.