Blair chaired meeting that led to unmasking of Kelly, inquiry told

[Nottingham]

http://feeds.bignewsnetwork.com/redir.php?jid=ffb2ee2ab1594dd8

Blair chaired meeting that led to unmasking of Kelly, inquiry told

Richard Norton-Taylor
Tuesday October 14, 2003
The Guardian

The key policy decisions which led to the unmasking of David Kelly, the Iraqi weapons expert, were taken at a Downing Street meeting chaired by Tony Blair, the top civil servant at the Ministry of Defence disclosed yesterday.

Sir Kevin Tebbit told the Hutton inquiry that decisions were taken at the No 10 meeting both to issue an MoD press statement giving details of Dr Kelly and to confirm his identity if journalists put his name to ministry officials.

He repeatedly pointed the finger at Downing Street, emphasing the importance of the meeting, which took place on July 8, the day before Dr Kelly's name was identified by the media.

Pressed several times by Jeremy Gompertz QC, counsel for the Kelly family, on who took the decisions, Sir Kevin replied: "The change of stance, as you put it, was as a result of the meeting chaired by the prime minister." Asked once more, he responded: "The decision was taken at the meeting in No 10."

more.....

Oh Does Blair have blood on his hands! :bounce:

[TahitiNut]

1. duplicate

See http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=102&topic_id=164309

[AP]

2. Is this really news?

I distinctly recall responding to a similar post weeks ago with the statmemt "did anyone really think Blair WASN'T in control of his government?"

But I can't recall what the revelation was exactly back then.