The House of Commons in London was suspended today following heckling from the public gallery as the British parliament discussed the controversial Hutton Report.
Commons Speaker Mr Michael Martin suspended the Commons after a sustained campaign of heckling from anti-war protesters
interrupted Prime Minister Tony Blair as he opened a debate on the report.
Proceedings resumed when the public gallery was cleared. Seven protesters were held by police for questioning over the incident.
Opening the debate, Mr Blair said that concerns expressed about the claim that Iraqi WMD could be fired in 45 minutes by defence intelligence officers, including Brian Jones, may have been "the grain of truth that led to the mountain of untruth" in BBC reports.
Last week, Lord Hutton's report
into the death of the British government weapons scientist, Dr David Kelly reserved its most damning criticism for the British state broadcaster. BBC chairman Mr Gavyn Davies and director general Mr Greg Dyke resigned over the report's contents.
Lord Hutton cleared the British government and Mr Blair of any wrongdoing in the use of intelligence on Iraq's weapons and the naming of Dr Kelly as the source of a story by BBC reporter Mr Andrew Gilligan. Mr Gilligan also quit the BBC.
Mr Blair said he "fully" respected the independence of the BBC but it was right false allegations should be withdrawn.
"I made it clear, as have other members of the government, that we fully respect the independence of the BBC and the freedom of the press.
"But it is not an interference with the freedom of the press or the BBC to say that if an allegation is made that is totally false it should be withdrawn."