Hundreds of current and former employees of bankrupt U.S. energy trader Enron have filed a class action lawsuit in federal court seeking to regain losses they suffered by investing in the company's 401-K savings plan.

The group names former Enron Chief Executives Kenneth Lay and Jeffrey Skilling, former Enron Chief Financial Officer Andrew Fastow, Enron accountants, the Arthur Andersen firm and Northern Trust Corporation, the trustee for the retirement account as defendants in the suit.

Enron also faces lawsuits from shareholders over billions of dollars lost in the company's collapse.

The Justice Department is leading a criminal investigation into the company.

In Britain, the Labor government is facing calls for a probe into its links with Enron and Arthur Andersen.

Liberal Democrats have asked for a parliament inquiry into the party's "close links" with the two firms.

Reuters news agency reports Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman as saying Enron representatives had met four separate industry ministers since the Labor Party took power in 1997. However, he denied accusations that Enron had an influence on British energy policy.

Some information for this report provided by AP, Reuters.

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