Two reporters, one story: Campbell sexed up the dossier

[T_i_B]

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=433148

Alastair Campbell's alleged role in "sexing up" the September dossier to justify war in Iraq was disclosed to a second BBC journalist by David Kelly, the Hutton inquiry heard yesterday.

Susan Watts, the science editor of BBC2's Newsnight, was told that Mr Campbell was central to inserting the 45-minute claim into the dossier two weeks before Dr Kelly made the same allegation to the reporter Andrew Gilligan.

The inquiry was told by Ms Watts that she was speaking to Dr Kelly about Iraq's supposed weapons of mass destruction on 7 May when she asked about the claim, in the government dossier, that Saddam Hussein could carry out chemical and biological attacks within 45 minutes.

Earlier, Mr Gilligan, the defence and diplomatic correspondent for the Today programme, admitted to the inquiry that he was wrong in stating in a broadcast that Downing Street had knowingly inserted an allegation that it believed to be wrong - the 45-minutes claim - into the dossier.

[Devils Advocate NZ]

1. It looks like Kelly's death has had the desired effect...

For example:

Earlier, Mr Gilligan, the defence and diplomatic correspondent for the Today programme, admitted to the inquiry that he was wrong in stating in a broadcast that Downing Street had knowingly inserted an allegation that it believed to be wrong - the 45-minutes claim - into the dossier.

Mr Gilligan acknowledged that Dr Kelly had told him that the single source for the claim was deemed to be "unreliable" by the intelligence services but this did not necessarily mean that the Government knew it was wrong.

He said: "It was a fair assessment to draw from what he said to me, but I think, on reflection, I didn't use exactly the right language."

Read that first paragraph, then read the last, and you will see that the two paragraphs show that Gilligan is trying to back off without actually doing it. Basically he is trying to spin his own story!

Now, check this out:

The inquiry was also read a memorandum from Kevin Marsh, the editor of Radio 4's Today programme, to Stephen Mitchell, the head of radio news, in which he said of Mr Gilligan's broadcast: "This story was a good piece of journalism marred by flawed reporting. Our biggest millstone had been his loose use of language and lack of judgement in some of his phraseology."

Do you get that? It was a "good piece of journalism marred by flawed reporting"? Huh? How can it be good and bad at the same time?

Simple: The story is 100% true, there is nothing "flawed" about it, but Gilligan, Mitchell and the rest of the BBC have got the message.

Especially since a government source claimed that Gilligan was "losing it" and nearly suicidal, AFTER Kelly's death had been deemed a suicide.

It is clear as a bell that the BBC are trying to back off the claim without actually saying it's wrong. Why would they do that, other than fear?

[Spentastic]

2. I concur

It's all very odd. I think the BBC have been as brave as they can be without someone else going for a walk.

[T_i_B]

3. Inquiry hears BBC's Kelly tape

Quick update. Looks like the heat is now going to get turned up on Gilligan again. Make of this what you will.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3146283.stm

A tape recording of a conversation between BBC Newsnight reporter Susan Watts and Dr David Kelly has been played to the third day of the Hutton Inquiry.

Susan Watts, from Newsnight, spoke to Dr Kelly the day after a report on BBC Radio 4's Today programme claimed that a government dossier on Iraqi arms had been "sexed up" by Downing Street.

On the tape Dr Kelly said he could not say Mr Campbell had personally put the pressure on for the 45 minute claim to be included in the dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, adding that he had never met Mr Campbell.

Instead he said: "All I can say is the Number 10 Downing Street press office... But... I think Alastair Campbell is synonymous with that press office because he's responsible for it."

[T_i_B]

4. BBC seems to be in trouble

I don't think the headlines will look too good tomorrow for Auntie! Here's the Grauniad link and make of this what you will.

http://politics.guardian.co.uk/kelly/story/0,13747,1017956,00.html