Four days before he was due to depose before an inquiry into Dr David Kelly's death, British Prime Minister Tony Blair on Sunday came under fresh pressure as it emerged that a senior official had expressed reservations about forcing the arms expert to give evidence before two committees.
According to some documents posted on the Internet, it was revealed that Sir Michael Jay, the foreign office permanent secretary, agreed with his opposite number at the ministry of defence, Sir Kevin Tebbit, that the request was "pushing it".
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Sir Michael also cited the "MoD's duty of care to their staff", the day before Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon overruled official advice to force Dr Kelly to appear before the foreign affairs and intelligence committees.
Blair will face questions at the Lord Hutton Inquiry on Thursday over No 10's alleged attempts to "coach" Dr Kelly before his appearances before the foreign affairs committee.
The prime minister is already reported to have said he wanted the scientist "properly prepared" before giving evidence.
Meanwhile, an ICM poll for The Sunday Telegraph indicated that more than two-thirds of voters believe, from what they have heard so far in the Hutton Inquiry, that the government deceived them about Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.
The findings, according to the newspaper, are a severe blow to Blair.
The poll also shows that 56 per cent of voters blame the government for Dr Kelly's suicide.
It shows that 58 per cent of all voters have less trust in the prime minister as a direct consequence of the inquiry.
More than half of those polled said Hoon and Alastair Campbell, Blair's director of communications and strategy, should resign.
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