FOREIGN Secretary Jack Straw has hinted Britain is ready to back the Son of Star Wars project - because it would have thwarted German attacks during the Second World War.

He made the surprise remarks after coming under fire from MPs from all sides in a heated Commons debate on U.S. plans for the £60 billion missile defence system.

Faced with calls to give a straight answer on whether Britain would back U.S. President George W Bush, he said: "In this country, we have long recognised the case, in appropriate circumstances, for missile defence.

"Had there been systems of missile defence available to this country at the time of the German V1 and V2 rockets, many thousands of lives would have been saved."

Mr Straw's comments were the strongest hint yet that Ministers will swing behind President Bush, despite the protests of more than 200 backbench MPs. The backbenchers argue the plans will make RAF Fylingdales and Menwith Hill a target for terrorist attacks.

They also point out missile defence would have been useless to protect the U.S. from the hijacked plane attacks on September 11.

Former Government Minister Glenda Jackson said: "How would a nuclear defence system have protected the U.S. from the events of September 11? They clearly would not."

She questioned the wisdom of the U.S. pushing ahead with a programme for which there is little or no scientific basis that it will be successful and which would be astronomically expensive.

Ms Jackson added: "Will this country automatically grant a right to the U.S. to site such bases on our soil? Or would there be a debate before any such undertaking was given?"

Mr Straw said: "Of course there would be nothing automatic about the granting of any such rights. These are matters which require very careful consideration."

He also admitted missile defence would "probably not have prevented the atrocities on September 11".

But he added: "That does not lead me to a safer conclusion that the world is therefore a safer place as a result of the atrocities. It more shows the dangers not only from international terrorists, but also from the use of missile systems by rogue states. We ought to consider the proposition in the future for missile defence."

Tory Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram, who supports missile defence, earlier asked his counterpart to reassert a number of pro-missile defence comments Mr Straw has made in the past year.

These included the Foreign Secretary stating there was "an overwhelming case for missile defence, in principle".

Mr Straw replied: "I strongly support the President's call for action on the twin threats of international terrorism and weapons of mass destruction."

The Government has repeatedly stated it cannot give an answer on support for missile defence, on the grounds Ministers have not received a formal request to use RAF Fylingdales or Menwith Hill.

Updated: 11:52 Wednesday, February 06, 2002