PM’s inner circle to give evidence
Lord Hutton’s judicial inquiry into the apparent suicide of Iraqi weapons expert Dr David Kelly continues today with key civil servants set to take the stand.
Dr Kelly was named as the Ministry of Defence “mole” in the BBC story which alleged someone in No 10 had wittingly “sexed up” an intelligence dossier to boost the case for war against Iraq.
The MoD’s permanent secretary Sir Kevin Tebbit will be cross-examined on his department’s role in the public “outing” of Dr Kelly.
He will ask to reiterate and clarify the advice given to Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon regarding Dr Kelly’s appearance before two Commons select committees.
Mr Hoon pressed ahead with the decision to request Dr Kelly’s appearance before MPs despite Sir Tebbit’s misgivings.
The Prime Minister’s two official spokesmen – Tom Kelly and Godric Smith – will also be probed.
In the High Court today, following on from Godric Smith, Tom Kelly – who was forced to apologise for calling Dr Kelly a “Walter Mitty” fantasist – may have to explain the meaning of an email he sent out which described the government’s relationship with the BBC as a “game of chicken.”
Yesterday, the PM’s director of communications Alastair Campbell rejected the allegations that he doctored the September dossier and included the clause that Iraq could launch lethal weapons “within 45-minutes”.
He said he urged intelligence bosses to tone down the rhetoric in the dossier.
Mr Campbell said he had “no input, output, influence” on the “45-minutes” claim contained in the dossier.
