[Mrluvaluva]

From Sky News

The Defence Secretary has taken full responsibility after two members of the navy crews held captive in Iran were allowed to sell their stories.

Des Browne said he had only been asked to "note", not endorse, the Royal Navy decision to let sailors cash in.

But "responsibility for that rests with me," he conceded.

He said: "A note indicating the decision and the analysis of the regulations that supported that decision came into my office on Thursday.

" ... over that weekend I accepted the analysis that was put forward to me by the navy, but I wasn't content with it."

He went on: "Clearly with hindsight I could have made a different decision."

Iranian gunboats seized 15 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines off the Iraqi coast on March 23.

Leading Seaman Faye Turney (L) sold her story to The Sun They were held for 13 days while Tehran and Britain argued over whether the crews had entered Iran's waters.

Members of the public, politicians and even some of those held in Tehran were outraged at the sale of the stories.

Conservative leader David Cameron demanded an inquiry into the "calamitous".

Mr Browne confirmed he would make a statement to the Commons about operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, when Parliament resumes on Monday.

But he would not go into details of what operational lessons might have been learned from the episode for future boarding parties in Iraqi waters.

Mr Browne insisted: "I said at the outset, although this was a navy decision I have to take responsibility for it, and I don't seek to hide behind the fact that the navy made the decision.

"Ultimately, the buck stops here."