Allegations were made yesterday by three MPs in the House of Commons, that Mr Profumo was in some way connected to the disappearance of Miss Keeler, who was due to appear as a witness in a trial at the Old Bailey.

But in a personal statement to the House today, Mr Profumo, 48, categorically denied the accusations and warned that he would not hesitate to issue writs for libel and slander if the allegations were made outside the House of Commons.

He said: "There was no impropriety whatever in my acquaintance with Miss Keeler and I have made the statement because of what was said yesterday in the House by three honourable members whose remarks were protected by privilege."

Rumours

He went on to explain that he and his wife, the actress Valerie Hobson, had met 20-year-old Christine Margaret Keeler at Cliveden, Berkshire, in July 1961.

The couple had been invited by Dr Stephen Ward, a London osteopath, to his country cottage on the Cliveden estate near the River Thames.

Also at the cottage was Captain Eugene Ivanov, a naval attach� at the Russian Embassy in London.

It is understood Miss Keeler was having an affair with Captain Ivanov at the time.

Rumours began to circulate that Mr Profumo had begun an affair with the young model soon after their meeting and that secret information on nuclear weapons could have been passed via Miss Keeler to Captain Ivanov.

These rumours were the basis of the allegations made by MPs George Wigg, for Dudley, Richard Crossman, for Coventry East, and Barbara Castle, for Blackburn, yesterday.

But in today's statement Mr Profumo said that between July and December 1961 he had met Miss Keeler about half a dozen times at Dr Ward's flat when he had called to see him, but stressed there was "no impropriety whatsoever" in the relationship.

He added he had not seen Miss Keeler since December 1961 and had no part in her disappearance.

Miss Keeler had been due to appear at the Central Criminal Court as a witness in a shooting trial.

But the Secretary of State for War was steadfast in his denial: "Any suggestion that I was in any way connected with or responsible for her absence from the trial at the Old Bailey is wholly and completely untrue."

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