Gavyn Davies goes before Hutton
The BBC’s Gavyn Davies has told the Hutton Inquiry that he first thought the row over Andrew Gilligan’s story would blow over.
Mr Davies went before the Hutton Inquiry this afternoon to give evidence about the death of Dr Kelly, who was the source of a story that accused the Government of doctoring intelligence information used in the case for war.
He explained that when the row about the report on the Today programme first flared up he believed it was a ‘routine’ situation that would be quickly ‘contained’.
And he accused the Prime Minister’s communications director, Alistair Campbell, of enflaming the situation through the evidence that he gave to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Alistair Campbell took exception to the claim that either the Government or he personally inserted into the dossier a claim stating that Iraq could deploy weapons in 45 minutes. The original committee concluded he could not have done so, a view backed by the head of the Joint Intelligence Committee, John Scarlett in his evidence this week.
Mr Davies further explained that it was only once Alistair Campbell had given evidence to the committee looking into the case for war, and by implication the BBC report, that he decided it an issue for the BBC Governors.
He said: ‘I do believe it became of great gravity after Alastair Campbell’s evidence to the foreign affairs committee on June 28. That was when I really felt it was something the governors had to focus on.’
Gavyn Davies did acknowledge that the claim was a serious one to make, although he highlighted a difference between policy on reporting a BBC opinion and that of some one else.
The Hutton Inquiry was established to look into the presumed suicide of Dr Kelly days after he gave evidence to the foreign affairs committee. It is paying particular interest to the role of the BBC and the Government in reporting his views and releasing his name to the public, which may have put him under significant pressure.
