Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was told by Iraqi weapons expert Dr David Kelly at a private lunch meeting before his untimely apparent suicide that there was insufficient evidence to warrant war against Iraq, the Sunday Mirror claimed yesterday.

The tabloid said the minister met informally with the former UN arms inspector in the Ministry of Defence canteen.

According to a Defence Ministry spokesman, Dr Kelly had a “chat” with Mr Hoon about the politically loaded interpretation of the evidence that Saddam Hussein’s regime had gathered weapons of mass destruction.

The tabloid ran the story to question Mr Hoon’s role in the outing of Dr Kelly as the “mole” in the “sexed-up” dossier row.

The weapons expert committed suicide after appearing before the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee where he was grilled on the government’s intelligence claims.

The Sunday Mirror said its “revelation” will lend support to those calling for Mr Hoon’s resignation from government.