Hoon moves to call up reservists for Iraq war

Geoff Hoon, the Secretary of State for Defence, confirmed yesterday that reserve troops could be called up in preparation for a possible war on Iraq.

But he dismissed reports that a Queen's Order – the first for nearly 50 years – would be made this week to increase the numbers normally available for the armed forces.

Mr Hoon told MPs that no such order was being planned today. But he added: "Military action against Iraq is neither imminent or inevitable, and in those circumstances I can reassure you, if it is necessary to call out reserves this House will be the first to know."

He added: "Any substantial military operation nowadays would require support from reservists, and our planning processes take that into account.

The shadow defence secretary, Bernard Jenkin, accused the Ministry of Defence of being "unprepared for the unexpected" with reservists "spread across the world".

Harry Cohen, the Labour MP for Leyton, said a call-out order would "indicate to people that the Government is prepared to go on with a war against Iraq with little regard for international law or the UN process."