The Ministry of Defence (MoD) yesterday denied that it had been trying to stop the wives of Black Watch soldiers talking to the media.

British troops in Iraq are being asked to tell their families to stop criticising the Government, a regiments campaign group said.

Jeff Duncan, spokesman for the Save Our Scottish Regiments Campaign, said a number of wives at the regiment's HQ in Warminster, Wiltshire, had received the edict.

Mr Duncan said: "I took a call from one wife who was very upset because she said her husband, who is a soldier in the Black Watch in Iraq, had been told to tell her not to speak to the media. And she said that lots of the other Black Watch wives had been told the same. Orders have come from the top."

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is planning to merge Scotland's six regiments into a "super regiment", a move that has sparked bitter protests north of the border.

Mr Duncan said: "The MoD trying to gag the wives is ironic really considering they are betraying the troops by planning to scrap their regiments. If ever there was a time for the Black Watch wives to say pretty much what they damn well like it is now."

Last night, an MoD spokesman said the department was not aware of any directive ordering families what they can and cannot say.