Kelly inquiry: The case against No 10

[Barrett808]

The denigration of David Kelly as a "Walter Mitty" character was the nadir of Downing Street's performance in this sorry affair. The crassness, the timing - 48 hours before his funeral - the attempt to switch the attack from the BBC to the scientist, summed up how badly No 10 has mishandled matters.

The death of Dr Kelly, and the fallout from it, the prospective end to the careers of ministers and civil servants, the acceleration of mistrust of the Government, might not have happened if the spotlight had not turned on BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan's report. Some government detractors claims this was a cynical diversionary tactic by Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's communication's chief.

...

But matters moved "off script" with Dr Kelly's suicide. The BBC said Ms Watts had taped her conversation with him, and he had mentioned Mr Campbell. Downing Street felt it could no longer claim Mr Gilligan invented his story.

So the attack was switched from the BBC to Dr Kelly's credibility. As the Blairs holidayed in Barbados, having called for "respect and restraint", Tom Kelly, a No 10 spokesman, briefed journalists, describing the scientist as a "Walter Mitty"-style character.

(more)

http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/politics/story.jsp?story=432524