The government has been accused of character assassination during the Margaret Hodge affair.

The minister for children yesterday issued a public apology through the high court to the man she described as an "extremely disturbed person".

Tory leader Michael Howard said the minister's remarks about a victim of child abuse were fresh evidence of Labour's smear techniques.

Demanding Hodge's resignation he told the prime minister: "He must care about vulnerable ministers - we care about vulnerable children."

Howard said Hodge's denigrating tactics were similar to those deployed against Dr David Kelly.