Committee accuses Gilligan of changing story on WMD
The Foreign Affairs select committee has made damning criticism of the BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan after the reporter appeared before them for a second time to answer questions about his allegations that Downing Street had “sexed up” a security dossier pertaining to Iraqi WMD.
The committee Chair accused Mr Gilligan of changing his story, which centred on allegations that Downing Street press chief inserted into the document claims that Iraq could launch weapons of mass destructions within 45 minutes of such an order being received.
Mr Gilligan was recalled to the committee after MoD official David Kelly denied that he was the source behind Mr Gilligan’s report.
Donald Anderson, chair of the committee gave a statement to journalists outside the committee room saying that the committee had been unconvinced by Mr Gilligan’s evidence.
“In the view of the Foreign Affairs committee this was an unsatisfactory session with an unsatisfactory witness.”
“Mr Gilligan clearly changed his mind during the course of his evidence in particular in relation to serious allegations concerning Mr Campbell,” he added.
Andrew Gilligan has angrily refuted Mr Anderson’s accusations and insisted that he has not deviated from his story. The BBC has accused the committee of subjecting their reporter to a series of personal attacks during his time in the closed session today.
FAC member John Maples, who was not present at today’s meeting, has stated that he will support Andrew Gilligan, having found him a reliable witness during his first session before the committee
“I completely dissociate myself from what has happened”, he told the Channel Four News.
“I found Mr Gilligan a perfectly credible witness in his two hours in front of us.”
