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Liam Fox's friend Adam Werritty to be questioned Liam Fox row 'distracting MoD staff', Tory MP says
(about 3 hours later)
Senior civil servants investigating the conduct of Defence Secretary Liam Fox are expected to interview his close friend Adam Werritty. The row over Liam Fox has "distracted" the Ministry of Defence and is making it "very difficult" for staff to get on with their jobs, a Tory MP has said.
They will ask him why he joined the cabinet minister on a third of all overseas trips since he came to office. Former Army officer Patrick Mercer told BBC Radio 4 a meeting he had been due to attend at the MoD was cancelled on Monday amid "the fuss and the dramas".
No 10 has said serious mistakes were made and asked an internal inquiry to address "all remaining questions". Senior civil servants investigating the defence secretary's conduct are interviewing his friend Adam Werritty.
Labour MP John Mann has said Mr Fox should be sacked, but the minister insisted he had done nothing wrong. They will ask him why he joined the defence secretary on 18 overseas trips.
Mr Werritty was present on 18 out of 48 overseas trips, according to records released by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). Those trips constitute a third of all overseas visits - 18 out of 48 - undertaken by Mr Fox since he came to office in May 2010.
They included visits to Singapore, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Sri Lanka.They included visits to Singapore, Bahrain, Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Hong Kong, Israel, New Zealand, Australia, Qatar and Sri Lanka.
'Clearer rules'
Mr Werritty also visited Tampa in Florida, where he dined with General John Allen, who has since become the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan.Mr Werritty also visited Tampa in Florida, where he dined with General John Allen, who has since become the head of Nato forces in Afghanistan.
He also travelled to Washington DC before flying back with Mr Fox.He also travelled to Washington DC before flying back with Mr Fox.
No 10 has said serious mistakes were made and asked an internal inquiry to address "all remaining questions".
Labour MP John Mann has said Mr Fox should be sacked, but the minister insisted he had done nothing wrong.
Business cards
Mr Mercer told BBC Radio 4's World at one: "The secretary of state for defence is running a ministry that's under serious financial strictures and much more importantly is fighting one hot war in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the remnants of a campaign in Libya, and with all sorts of difficulties... on the horizon," he said.
"The last thing that busy civil servants and busy uniformed staff need inside the MoD is this sort of distraction with their boss."
Mr Mercer said Mr Fox retained the support of his Conservative colleagues, but he added: "I was due to have a meeting in the Ministry of Defence on Monday, and it was clear that the fuss and the difficulty and the drama was making business very difficult to conduct."
Mr Werritty, 34, was Mr Fox's best man in 2005 and a former flatmate and also used to carry cards describing himself as an adviser to "the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP".Mr Werritty, 34, was Mr Fox's best man in 2005 and a former flatmate and also used to carry cards describing himself as an adviser to "the Rt Hon Liam Fox MP".
But he had no formal or paid role at the MoD or the Conservative Party and little is known about how the visits were funded.But he had no formal or paid role at the MoD or the Conservative Party and little is known about how the visits were funded.
The Times has claimed Mr Werritty declared about £20,000 in income from his private companies over the past four years.The Times has claimed Mr Werritty declared about £20,000 in income from his private companies over the past four years.
In Parliament, Mr Fox said Mr Werritty's income was "not dependent on any transactional behaviour to maintain his income".In Parliament, Mr Fox said Mr Werritty's income was "not dependent on any transactional behaviour to maintain his income".
He also apologised to MPs for the controversy but insisted that he had never put national security at risk.He also apologised to MPs for the controversy but insisted that he had never put national security at risk.
The BBC's deputy political editor James Landale said government sources had indicated that Mr Werritty had agreed to meet officials at a location outside London on Tuesday.
They said this was intended to be an initial conversation between the investigation team and Mr Werritty in order to help answer some outstanding questions.
'No choice'
Meanwhile, Labour has been stepping up the pressure on Mr Fox over the whole affair.Meanwhile, Labour has been stepping up the pressure on Mr Fox over the whole affair.
MP John Mann said: "The cover-up comes across as being even worse than whatever's been done in the first place.MP John Mann said: "The cover-up comes across as being even worse than whatever's been done in the first place.
"And with all this hanging over him, and this strange relationship with Adam Werritty... it does seem to me that David Cameron's got no choice: he's going to have to get rid of Liam Fox from his cabinet.""And with all this hanging over him, and this strange relationship with Adam Werritty... it does seem to me that David Cameron's got no choice: he's going to have to get rid of Liam Fox from his cabinet."
But Conservative MP Nick Boles said he did not believe Mr Fox was irreparably damaged.But Conservative MP Nick Boles said he did not believe Mr Fox was irreparably damaged.
"I'm sure that Liam has learned from this. I'm sure that everybody in front-line politics has learned from this," he said."I'm sure that Liam has learned from this. I'm sure that everybody in front-line politics has learned from this," he said.
"We need to have clearer rules and abide by them. But, nothing yet has been suggested that somehow the public interest was harmed.""We need to have clearer rules and abide by them. But, nothing yet has been suggested that somehow the public interest was harmed."
Mr Cameron has discussed the findings of an interim report on the inquiry with Mr Fox, a Downing Street spokesman said.Mr Cameron has discussed the findings of an interim report on the inquiry with Mr Fox, a Downing Street spokesman said.
The prime minister is not expected to make a final decision on Mr Fox's future until he sees the full report, which is due on 21 October.The prime minister is not expected to make a final decision on Mr Fox's future until he sees the full report, which is due on 21 October.