'The Ministry of Defence says an investigation will be launched into claims that an inquiry it set up to examine whether British troops abused Iraqi prisoners has become "little more than a whitewash".

Louise Thomas, an official working with the inquiry team who says she has resigned in protest at the lack of progress, spent six months working with the Iraq Historic Allegations Team (IHAT), which was set up in response to a growing number of complaints from former prisoners. Many were detained at a secretive interrogation centre that the British military operated in the south-east of the country.

Thomas, 45, a former Wren who also served as a police officer for five years, told the Guardian she had seen around 1,600 videos of interrogation sessions, a number of which showed prisoners being abused, humiliated and threatened.'

Read more: Iraq Abuse Inquiry Little More Than a Whitewash, Says Official