Hutton: what do you think?

[OldieMum]

I am getting cynical in my old age, but even I didn't expect Hutton to exonerate everyone in the Government for everything they did over the dossier and David Kelly and to blame the BBC for what they did at every stage. What do other people think? And who leaked it to the Sun?

probably shouldnt comment as a journo and work for 'them' but v disappointed that Greg dyke has resigned. Maybe should keep my views on the rest of it to myself but you can probably guess.
Kizziex

KS: if you're confused you might try searching the Radio-5 archive; they played Hutton's speech live (1.5 hours), in which he summarises what he had to say quite coherently, and in the process addresses all the controversial points. The next thing to do is find the statements that Michael Howard or Michael Portillo said afterwards, which summarises the only remaining, and IMO, valid limitations of Hutton's report.

I am terrified of Michael Howard, though, can't believe anybody genuinely likes him.

What do I think? I feel sorry for Andrew Gillingham, even though it was pretty clear he had over-stepped the mark a while ago.

Hutton's remit wasn't to decide whether UK should have gone to war, only who, if anyone in the govt. or BBC, had acted wrongly thus contributing to Kelly's death. To call it a Whitewash is silly because Hutton's remit wasn't to judge whether the evidence for going to war was sufficient, only whether Gilligan had misreported or the govt. had acted negligently as Kelly's employer or otherwise put him in an impossible situation. Hutton's 1.5 hour speech goes carefully through the points he considered in trying to find fault, and whether he could assign fault in each case. He certainly does not consider the question of "Was the case for going to war justified?"

So I think it's silly to worry about subtleties in Hutton; have a proper inquiry about whether war was justified if that's what people really want to know. Don't try to read the answer to that question into Hutton's inquiry, though.

I'll keep out of this thread further, as I expect to be flamed for saying these things.

I have to say, I think that Gilligan's reporting was excellent and very much in the public interest. I think it WAS important to know that senior government scientists were concerned about both the content and tenor of the dossiers that were supposed to provide the rationale for going to war (no minor issue). I think it WAS disreputable for unelected, political figures like Campbell to have such power to alter both the content and tone of the dossiers to such an effect than IMO they were grossly misleading. I saw the emails that went back and forward. The changes he 'suggested' were more than minor details. Nobody was reporting this but Gilligan. I think he should be commended. BTW I am pretty sure that Bliar should have known that the 45 minute claim was nonsense. If he didn't then I think he was stupid. And I'm not sure stupid is much better than corrupt. Kelly knew the claim was nonsense, why didn't Bliar's advisors. The reporting of the 45 minute claim by the Sun clearly stated that within 45 minutes of a chemical warfare attack being ordered by Saddam, British troops in Cyprus would have been at risk. Even Campbell and Bliar have been forced to admit this was always impossible (though the dossier was changed so this was the clear inference). Yet did they complain about the Sun's coverage? They did not. Because it served their ends. Bliar and Murdoch are in bed together and the BBC is getting FCUK'D.

There's a very good post on a blog I read about the potential implications to the BBC which I thought you'd all be interested in. It's here

I don't always agree with what Gert has to say, but I have a horrible feeling that her suspicions that the BBC's days are numbered might just come to pass

Agree with Kizzie (also work for 'them' -the loss of Greg Dyke to the BBC over this is a scandal - a genuinely good man forced out because of a report that I now feel I cannot trust - too many questions outstanding. Campbell made me see red today - all this guff about just wanting to clear his name - the man is a nonentity, it CLEARLY says in the Hutton report that he asked for the dossier to be strengthened so that the 45 mins claim went from 'the Iraqis may' to 'they can' - HOW can this not be sexing up? For Blair and Campbell to come over all wounded and 'all we wanted was for you to say sorry' just sickens me

oops stray winky

simmer down squirmyworm

No, Squirmyworm, stay angry! You are bang on IMO. That is EXACTLY the issue as I see it. They DID 'sex up' the dossier. It's been proved. The whole thing stinks of cover up. I have felt sad all day because of what I think this means for the BBC and freedom.

aloha, completely agree, andrew gilligan rocks. i miss his reports on the today program. and he was 95% right on the dossier claim too.

Maybe Alistair Campbell wil apply for the job of DG of the BBC..........

Umm not su sure a Tory govt is answer though LOL and imagien the T shirts Viz and Private Eye would come out with then!
No the heads were always going to roll at the Beeb, it was so predictable, why should we believe the BBC is ours? Even if we pay for it!Why should we believe the govt does what the public want? Even though we pay their salary.
As for voting tomorrow as in other thread, I'd call sick with ahangover if I wasn't so proud ofhave the right to vote at all. In which case I'd put a cross in every box.
Sick sick sick bunch

Suedonim don't even joke about it !!!! Dh & I have just been talking about his future role (or hopefully lack of one) and that was dh's comment too...

Just watched the news and the smarmy git Blair going on about an apology. How often does he apologise when he gets things wrong? Has he apologised for takling us to war over a mistake? And as everyone else has said what exactly was wrong about his report anyway- In my eyes the dossier was sexed up. Blair makes my skin crawl.

Good exit by Greg Dyke though. I just hope it has damaged this government. They treat the electorate like idiots.

Wil be watching newsnight tonight.

"Hutton's remit wasn't to decide whether UK should have gone to war, only who, if anyone in the govt. or BBC, had acted wrongly thus contributing to Kelly's death". - as zebra stated below .... my view is ....

If you set the exam paper - you know the answers ...

The government set the remit so that there could only be one outcome ....

True Crystaltips, and they appointed the examiner too...

Message withdrawn

Had no time to read the full thread but I found the report very suspicious don't understand how it was ALL BBC's fault, surely somebody lied at the report otherwise they would have found the WMD?). There's also something weird about the leaving BBC people , if I have just been asked to resign would I be so happy??? I just think that the result of the enquiry it's a shameless attempt to clean Blair's name before election. And even though it is imposible to know what was in Dr. Kelly's mind when he comitted suicide (if he really did), I wouldn't be surprised if he had done it because he was going to get all the blame, after all, sexed report or not... there is no evidence yet to justify the invasion of Irak (in terms of WMD I mean, we all know how Sadam was)

bloss- didn't the US use regime change as a reason to go to war? Fair enough if they had but I think TB knew that would never be accepted her.

There is a lot of cyncism towards politics here. Unfortunately previous govts have been known to bend the truth a little- BSE springs to mind. I really think that BSE damaged all credibility in politics and successive govts have done little to change that. This govt has shown contempt for the people of this country again and again- too many years of spin.
Would TB win an election tomorrow? Frighteninly I think he might as the oppostion is so poor. I susepct most of the contempt on this thread is towards politicians in general.

Very sad Greg Dyke has gone - he is superb. The sight of Blair trying to suppress his delight made me feel sick too. Awful day for the BBC - that "unreserved apology" made me squirm - governers should have supported Dyke and not bowed to this lunatic government.

What was the point of Hutton writing the report when everyone seems to be dismissive of it? No point investigating the government going to Iraq either then. If people don't get the report they want, they will just dismiss it anyway. I think Andrew Gillingam could have resigned. He was the one who made the programme in the first place!