Defence secretary Geoff Hoon was last night accused of behaving like a "Soviet ruler" by angry MPs when giving evidence to the Commons defence committee.

The clash came over Hoon's decision last month to merge some of the army's most famous regiments.
 
Bruce George, the committee's Labour chairman, was furious that Hoon would not disclose minutes of the army board, which contributed to the re-structuring plans.

"This is not the Supreme Soviet," George said.