Sick auctioneers apologise

Two Labour MPs were forced into a grovelling apology last night for auctioning a signed copy of the report into the death of scientist David Kelly.

Rising star James Purnell and colleague Chris Bryant said they regretted any offence caused.

The signed copy of the Hutton Report, autographed by Cherie Blair, fetched £400 for Labour Party funds when it was auctioned last week.

In a statement, Mr Bryant and Mr Purnell said: "This was a private event. No one intended to give offence and if there is any offence, we sincerely apologise.

"We have not received any money for this item and want to make it clear we will not accept any."

The auctioning of the report has caused widespread outrage.

Tory MP Stewart Jackson said it was in "appalling bad taste".

Dr Kelly killed himself shortly before he was due to face a probe after being named as a possible source of a BBC story on the Governments Iraq dossier.