Downing Street has rejected Conservative calls for Prime Minister Tony Blair to make a statement to the House of Commons about the Queen Mother lying-in-state row.

Mr Blair's official spokesman said: "Since no-one has produced facts to support the allegation that civil servants behaved improperly we do not believe a statement is necessary."

I think it is time for Alastair Campbell to take a back foot and for Tony Blair to be his own person

Mark Oaten

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats' chairman said the only way to end speculation about the affair was to publish a secret memo believed to have been written by the senior Palace of Westminster official known as Black Rod, Sir Michael Willcocks.

It has been alleged that Downing Street sought a bigger role for Mr Blair in the wake of the Queen Mother's death - a charge denied by Downing Street.

Mr Blair's spokesman was asked whether the government ought to be relaxed about the memo being published.

He replied: "It is entirely a matter for Black Rod and if we were going to indicate an opinion it would be interpreted as us telling Black Rod what to do."

The spokesman said Downing Street did not have the memo and "was not aware of anyone having seen it".

Lib Dem chairman Mark Oaten's comments come a day after his Conservative counterpart, David Davis, urged Mr Blair to make a statement on the issue.

Disrepute

Mr Oaten it was time to get back to issues that mattered to people instead of indulging in what was essentially a Westminster obsession, "more cock-up than conspiracy".

On Sunday Mr Davis said Tony Blair should clarify what happened during the period of lying-in-state, after claims that he tried to "muscle in" and secure a more prominent role.

The Tory chairman claimed Mr Blair and his senior staff had brought the office of prime minister into disrepute.

David Davis says Mr Blair has brought his office into disrepute

This followed claims by the Mail on Sunday that it has the memo from Black Rod.

Northern Ireland Secretary Dr John Reid dismissed the reports as "playground gossip" and insisted officials "acted with complete integrity and asked all the right questions".

But Mr Oaten said the prime minister should apologise for the affair and admit his government had been "obsessed with presentation and spin".

"I think it is time for [Number 10 director of communications] Alastair Campbell to take a back seat and for Tony Blair to be his own person and come out and engage with the British public in an honest and transparent way.

"He has a very large majority and he really ought to come out a bit more honestly rather than hiding behind Alastair Campbell."

'Frustration'

The Mail On Sunday said that in a memo to the Press Complaints Commission, Sir Michael complained the prime minister's staff repeatedly called his office about the funeral arrangements.

	Funeral row Views on the row Profile: Alastair Campbell Profile: Black Rod Timeline

Aides asked "What's the PM's role?" and "Won't the PM be meeting the coffin?" and "Surely the PM greets the Queen?", the paper reported.

Black Rod is alleged to have claimed that Number 10 exerted "sustained and constant pressure" to try to achieve changes in the lying-in-state ceremony.

It reported that Sir Michael's deputy, Brigadier Hedley Duncan, said Black Rod's office was "inundated" with calls from Mr Blair's officials.

The paper also claimed Mr Blair's private secretary visited Sir Michael and asked him to endorse a statement saying its original story about the affair was untrue.

'Untrue'

But Dr Reid said the number of calls made to Black Rod's office was around a dozen and added: "The suggestion that this was inordinate pressure by civil servants is ludicrous."

On Friday, Mr Blair published a 29-page dossier giving Downing Street's version of events.

It described suggestions that he tried to increase his own role at the Queen Mother's funeral to be "as offensive as it is completely and totally untrue".

Downing Street continues to stand by the statement.

The allegations first appeared in the Spectator magazine - edited by Tory MP Boris Johnson - and two newspapers.

They are claiming victory in the row after Mr Blair withdrew a complaint to the Press Complaints Commission (PCC).