UK minister admits rules banning armed forces from speaking out are unlawful

Woman told court that gagging orders reinforced culture of closing ranks that tolerated rape and sexual assault

The UK defence secretary, John Healey, has conceded that policies that banned members of the armed forces from speaking to the press or MPs without permission are unlawful, after a legal challenge was brought by two women who complained they were raped while serving.

The women, from the RAF and Royal Navy, argued the restrictive regulations had prevented them from speaking out publicly about their experiences and how their complaints were handled by the chain of command and military police.