Blair's spokesman faces Kelly inquiry
The British prime minister’s official spokesman Tom Kelly, who described Dr David Kelly as a “Walter Mitty” character, began his second stage of evidence to the Hutton Inquiry today.
Mr Kelly returned to the hotseat in the British Royal Courts of Justice to face cross-examination and is certain to be grilled over a briefing he gave journalists on the day Dr Kelly was identified.
The inquiry has already heard he gave “vital clues” to reporters during his regular lobby briefing on July 9, just hours before Dr Kelly’s name was widely-known.
It has been claimed the information could have helped the media identify the scientist as BBC correspondent Andrew Gilligan’s source for his story about the allegedly “sexed-up” Iraq weapons dossier.
Mr Kelly was to be examined by his own counsel and cross-examined by counsel for the inquiry and Dr Kelly’s family.
He was also likely to be questioned about his description of the scientist as a Walter Mitty character, for which he has already apologised.
He was also facing searching questions over an e-mail he sent to Number 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell in which he referred to Downing Street’s row with the BBC as “a game of chicken with the Beeb”.
Other key figures giving evidence today were Tony Blair’s other official spokesman, Godric Smith, chairman of the UK Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) John Scarlett, Assistant Chief Constable Michael Page, of Thames Valley Police, and BBC chairman Gavyn Davies.
