UK defence secretary personally authorised Kelly policy

[tinnypriv]

UK defence secretary personally authorised Kelly policy
Financial Times, July 21 2003

The political fallout from the apparent suicide of David Kelly hit the highest levels of government on Monday after it emerged that Geoff Hoon, the defence secretary, had personally authorised his department's strategy for dealing with the scientist.


As Tony Blair and Mr Hoon brace themselves for public interrogation by a senior law lord investigating Mr Kelly's death, Downing Street also conceded that it was consulted by the Ministry of Defence on several occasions over his treatment.

Mr Hoon's direct involvement in the handling of Mr Kelly - the weapons expert at the centre of the row between the government and the BBC - means that he could be forced to resign if an independent inquiry by Lord Hutton criticises Mr Kelly's treatment by Whitehall officials.

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