Hutton clears Blair of lying. Which begs the question...how incompetent is British intelligence over WMDs, 45 minute dispatches and yellowcake? Why did the good doctor then kill himself?
news.bbc.co.uk
"...He attacked Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon for his role in the circumstances of the naming of Dr Kelly.
And he said the weapons expert's record of public service was in stark contrast to the conduct of a "cabal" of ministers including Mr Blair.
Mr Howard added: "No-one in the government can look back on this episode with pride - the nation will in due course deliver its verdict."
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said Lord Hutton's inquiry had not been allowed to look into the "most fundamental question" which was why the UK went to war with Iraq.
Source revealed
In his statement Mr Blair described how he was made aware that Dr Kelly had come forward as the possible source for Mr Gilligan's story on 3 July, 2003...."
news.bbc.co.uk
"...None of this alters the fact, however, that the questions over how and why the prime minister took Britain to war remain unanswered.
Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy has maintained a consistent stand on this issue and returned to this subject during the Commons debate.
He, in effect, said that we were now back to the position we were in before the whole diversion of the Kelly-Gilligan affair overshadowed all the other questions about the war.
His calls for an independent inquiry into the war, and the issue of Saddam's elusive weapons of mass destruction, have been taken up by the Tories and Mr Blair's critics such as former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook.
But, in the wake of the Hutton report, they will be much harder to pursue.
Tony Blair, on the other hand, will be hoping and working to ensure that this represents a new start for his leadership." |
