Journalist Andrew Gilligan, whose story that the British government had "sexed up" the risk from Iraqi weapons was criticized in an inquiry as unfounded, has resigned from the BBC, arguing the report was largely right.
Analysts said Gilligan's resignation might put an end to a feud between the government and the BBC, where two top figures have resigned since the inquiry led by Lord Hutton took the public broadcaster to task.
PHOTO: AFP
But some British newspapers yesterday renewed calls for a full inquiry into the intelligence Prime Minister Tony Blair's government drew on to persuade parliament and the public to follow the US to war.
Gilligan maintained in his resignation statement on Friday that his report that the government knowingly exaggerated the threat posed by Iraq to justify the war was mostly right.
"If Lord Hutton had fairly considered the evidence he heard, he would have concluded that most of my story was right. The government did sex up the dossier, transforming possibilities and probabilities into certainties, removing vital caveats," he said.
Hutton's inquiry examined the events leading up to the death of British Iraq weapons expert David Kelly who killed himself in July after being unmasked as the source of Gilligan's report.
In an editorial, the Times newspaper said yesterday there was no "credible reason" for resisting calls to hold a full inquiry into the intelligence the government published on Iraq.
"Tony Blair should realize that the longer he holds out against it, the more damage he will do to the war on terror he has bravely championed," it said.
David Kay, former head of the US hunt for Iraq's banned weapons, said last week he did not believe biological and chemical weapons stockpiles existed, and Condoleezza Rice, US President George W. Bush's national security adviser, has acknowledged there may have been flaws in the intelligence.
Bush himself said on Friday he was seeking clarity over the intelligence reports.
Blair's foes, many commentators and large parts of the public were bewildered at the wholesale bill of health Hutton handed the government compared with his censure of the BBC.
Anti-war campaigners from the Stop the War coalition were due to protest at Blair's Downing Street offices later yesterday over what they describe as Hutton's "whitewash."
Lord Hutton lambasted BBC management procedures as "defective," leading to the resignations of BBC Director General Greg Dyke on Thursday and chairman of the board of governors Gavyn Davies on Wednesday.
The BBC apologized unreservedly on Thursday and British Prime Minister Tony Blair declared an end to the feud.
Professor Stephen Barnet, of the University of Westminster, said: "It would be nice to think that with this final, third resignation that we really could draw a line under the whole thing."
The BBC's acting director general Mark Byford would not comment directly on whether there would be more BBC resignations, telling BBC television late on Friday:
"The BBC this week has faced the resignation of the chairman, the resignation of the director general, the resignation of that reporter.
"Now there is a still process going on involving others. It'll be done as speedily as possible and that's all I can say."
Tropical Storm Usagi strengthened to a typhoon yesterday morning and remains on track to brush past southeastern Taiwan from tomorrow to Sunday, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was approximately 950km east-southeast of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), Taiwan proper’s southernmost point, the CWA said. It is expected to enter the Bashi Channel and then turn north, moving into waters southeast of Taiwan, it said. The agency said it could issue a sea warning in the early hours of today and a land warning in the afternoon. As of 2pm yesterday, the storm was moving at
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At least 35 people were killed and dozens more injured when a man plowed his car into pedestrians exercising around a sports center in the southern Chinese city of Zhuhai on Monday night. Footage showing bodies lying on the pavement appeared on social media in the hours after the crash, but had vanished by early Tuesday morning, and local police reported only “injuries.” It took officials nearly 24 hours to reveal that dozens had died — in one of the country’s deadliest incidents in years. China heavily monitors social media platforms, where it is common for words and topics deemed
Typhoon Usagi yesterday had weakened into a tropical storm, but a land warning issued by the Central Weather Administration (CWA) was still in effect in four areas in southern Taiwan. As of 5pm yesterday, Tropical Storm Usagi was over waters 120km south-southwest of Oluanpi (鵝鑾鼻), the southernmost tip of Taiwan proper, and was moving north at 9kph, CWA data showed. The storm was expected to veer northeast later yesterday. It had maximum sustained winds of 101kph, with gusts of up to 126kph, the data showed. The CWA urged residents of Kaohsiung, Pingtung County, Taitung County and the Hengchun Peninsula (恆春) to remain alert to
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