A leaked memo from Britain?s Freign Ministry blasts ?heavy handed tactics? by the US military in Iraq and soldiers? abuse of prisoners, the Sunday Times newspaper reported.

London has been Washington?s most staunch ally throughout the conflict, but the paper said the memo ?blows apart? Prime Minister Tony Blair?s public insistence that there are no differences between Britain and the United States over strategy.

The paper reported the memo said under the heading ?Problems?: ?Heavy-handed US military tactics in Falluja and Najaf some weeks ago have fuelled both Sunni and Shi?ite opposition to the coalition and lost us much public support inside Iraq.?

It added: ?The scandal of the treatment of detainees at Abu Ghraib (prison) has sapped the moral authority of the coalition, inside Iraq and internationally.? The Foreign Office refused to comment on the report.

The government has repeatedly denied that London and Washington differ on Iraq policy but Blair?s main political opponent said this week the prime minister often voiced disquiet in private and urged him to bring the debate into the open.

Blair ?seems to take the view that any advice he offers on US policy must be made in private and any disagreement kept secret?, opposition Conservative leader Michael Howard wrote in Thursday?s Independent newspaper. However, Blair later told his ministers he would never publicly air disagreements with Washington over policy in Iraq for fear it would damage troop morale.

Blair?s public trust ratings have plummeted in the wake of the Iraq war and the revelations of abuse of Iraqi prisoners by US troops have further eroded support for the US.

Britain has around 7,500 soldiers in Iraq and speculation is mounting whether Britain will send around 3,000 more, especially after the pullout of Spanish troops.