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 The Hutton Report: Audio Timeline
Listen to any or all of the major interviews and reports broadcast by Today in the lead up to Lord Hutton's inquiry. Simply CLICK ON THE DATE of the item you'd like to hear.
* May 29, 2003: 6.07am
The Andrew Gilligan early un-scripted 'two-way' interview with John Humphrys in which he first reports his source, later confirmed as Dr David Kelly.
"What we've been told by one of the senior officials in charge of drawing up that dossier was that actually the Government probably knew that that 45 minute figure was wrong even before it decided to put it in."
- Andrew Gilligan
* May 29, 2003: 7.32am
Andrew Gilligan reports what he says Dr David Kelly told him in their meeting at the Charing Cross Hotel in London on May 22, 2003.
"It was transformed the week before it was published, to make it sexier. The classic example was the statement that weapons of mass destruction were ready for use within 45 minutes. That information was not in the original draft. It was included in the dossier against our wishes because it wasn't reliable. Most things in the dossier were double sourced, but that was single sourced. And we believed that the source was wrong."
- Andrew Gilligan
* May 29, 2003: 8.10am
Armed Forces Minister Adam Ingram, speaking with John on the morning of Andrew Gilligan's report, concedes the 45 minute claim came from a single, uncorroborated source (following questioning on cluster bombs).
"Well, that (45 minute claim) was said on the basis of a security source information. Single sourced, it wasn't corroborated"
- Adam Ingram
* May 31, 2003: 7.32am
Andrew Gilligan reports, two days after he quoted Dr Kelly.
"The Prime Minister and his staff have spent the last two days denying claims that nobody has ever actually made, such as that material in the dossier was invented ... they have however failed to deny several of the claims which the BBC did make."
- Andrew Gilligan
* June 1, 2003:
Andrew Gilligan names Alastair Campbell in "sexing up" story in Mail On Sunday article.
* June 2, 2003: 8.10am
Foreign Secretary Jack Straw defends the presentation of the dossier.
"If you look at, for example, the key speech that the Prime Minister made on the 18th of March before the House of Commons, from my quick re-reading of it this morning, I can find no reference to this now famous 45 minutes".
- Jack Straw
* June 2, 2003: 10.30pm
Newsnight broadcasts a story by Susan Watts, following a conversation with Dr Kelly.
* June 3, 2003: 8.10am
Liberal Democrat Leader Charles Kennedy calls for an inquiry.
"I suspect that in presentational terms Number 10 has gone for the greatest, most arresting presentation of the facts."
- Charles Kennedy
* June 4, 2003: 8.10am
Government minister Dr John Reid and John Humphrys clash over Andrew Gilligan's report.
"I think the reason this story has run on the front pages for the last six days is ... in all that time, nobody has ever actually quite denied the central charge made by my source."
- Andrew Gilligan
"He (Gilligan) said (the source) was an official who was connected with the process of compiling the dossier. He could have been a printer"
- Dr John Reid
* June 5, 2003: 7.09am
Our reporting of Tony Blair's response to allegations the dossier was 'sexed up', including the 45 minute claim.
"In particular the claim about the readiness of Saddam to use weapons within 45 minute of an order to use them was inserted into the dossier at the behest of Number 10 ... it is completely and totally untrue."
- Tony Blair, PM to the Commons
"The Joint Intelligence Committee is not 'the intelligence services', it is a Downing Street committee. There is absolutely no doubt that the intelligence services were unhappy with the contents of that dossier."
- Andrew Gilligan
"I know from my contacts that there were very few intelligence officers who thought the case against Iraq justified a war.
- David Shayler, former MI5 officer
* June 6, 2003:
Alastair Campbell complains to the BBC about Andrew Gilligan's reporting.
* June 25, 2003: 7.13am
On the morning of the day Alastair Campbell faced the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the preparation of the Iraq dossiers, Andrew Gilligan outlines the big unanswered questions.
"They're going to have to be on their toes with Mr Campbell, he is very very experienced at responding to people's questions."
- Andrew Gilligan
* June 25, 2003:
Alastair Campbell gives evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, admitting faults with the so called 'dodgy dossier' and demanding an apology from the BBC for the Andrew Gilligan story.
* June 26, 2003: 7.16am
Following Alastair Campbell's attack on the BBC, some sceptical Labour MPs and others outline their concerns about unanswered questions.
"This is classic Alastair Campbell. Clearly he felt that if he attacked the BBC he can somehow get the media talking about that rather than Iraq, but I don't think this will work."
- Charlie Whelan, former media adviser to Chancellor Gordon Brown
* June 26, 2003: 8.10am
BBC Director of News, Richard Sambrook, in his first interview responding to the attack on the corporation's war coverage and Andrew Gilligan's report, plus extracts of Alastair Campbell's evidence to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.
"We've always said that we have one senior and credible source within the intelligence services ... I don't think the BBC needs to be taught lessons in the use of sources by a communications department which plagiarised a 12-year-old thesis and distributed it unattributed." "The BBC is not going to apologise for something we haven't said."
- Richard Sambrook
"I find it incredible that people can report, based on one single anonymous uncorroborated source, can report ... that the Prime Minister ... connived to persuade parliament to send British forces into action on a lie. That's the allegation. And I tell you, until the BBC acknowledge that is a lie I will keep banging on, that correspondence file will get thicker and they'd better issue an apology pretty quick."
- Alastair Campbell, to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee
* June 26, 2003: 8.53am
A former Blair adviser and colleague of Alastair Cambell's, Tim Allen, continues the attack on Andrew Gilligan's report.
"Of course there's a place for off-the-record journalism ... but if someone is using entirely off-the-record comments to make an accusation and is not prepared to stand forward and make them in person ... then I think it's right for broadcasters to be deeply sceptical of them."
- Tim Allen
* June 26, 2003:
Alastair Campbell writes again to the BBC.
* June 27, 2003: 7.09am
Robin Cook, former Foreign Secretary gives his view on the dispute.
"The real issue is that we were told things as a justification for war which have plainly turned out to be wrong ... the 45 minute readiness of weapons of mass destruction."
- Robin Cook
* June 27, 2003: 8.25am
BBC Political Editor Andrew Marr updates us on Alastair Campbell's letter to the BBC demanding explanations for its actions.
"I do think that Alastair Campbell and the people around him are genuinely angry ... but is it convenient? You bet it's convenient."
- Andrew Marr
* June 27, 2003:
Andrew Gilligan tells Richard Sambrook, BBC Director of News, the name of his source.
* June 28, 2003: 8.33am
John Humphrys and Government minister Ben Bradshaw clash on the substance of Andrew Gilligan's report, plus Thatcher's former press secretary Sir Bernard Ingham and an extract of Alastair Campbell's interview on Channel 4 News.
"This is an attempt by the Government to get the BBC to admit that a fundamental attack upon the integrity of the Government, the Prime Minister, the intelligence agencies, let alone the 'evil spin doctors in the dark who do their dirty work' in the minds of a lot of journalists, let them just accept for once they have got it wrong."
- Alastair Campbell on Channel 4
"There are only one of two rational explanations for Alastair Campbell's behaviour yesterday, either that he's flipped his lid ... completely gone crackers, or else he's demob happy."
- Sir Bernard Ingham
"What you have in effect done is accused the Government, from the Prime Minister downwards, including the intelligence services, of misleading parliament, based on a single anonymous source."
- Ben Bradshaw
* June 30, 2003:
Dr Kelly writes to his line manager to admit meeting Andrew Gilligan.
* July 1, 2003: 7.32am
Charles Kennedy, Liberal Democrats Leader gives his view on the dispute.
"We need to know exactly what took place in terms of the dossiers that were produced, in terms of the integrity of those dossiers, to what extent was the intelligence information, to use the phrase, 'sexed up' or not?"
- Charles Kennedy
* July 3, 2003: 8.38am
Former Armed Forces Minister Sir Nicholas Soames tells Andrew Marr about a late night conversation with the head of MI6, Sir Richard Dearlove, whilst admitting they didn't talk about the 45 minute claim.
"He assures me that the (BBC) allegations are completely and utterly untrue."
- Sir Nicholas Soames
* July 7, 2003: 7.51am
Michael Ancram, Shadow Foreign Secretary ahead of Foreign Affairs Select Committee report.
"With great respect, this isn't about the row between the BBC and the Government ... that was an Alastair Campbell smokescreen"
- Michael Ancram
* July 7, 2003: 8.10am
Clare Short, former International Development Secretary.
"Where the exaggeration lies is in describing that intelligence as though there's an imminent threat."
- Clare Short
* July 7, 2003:
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee clear Alastair Campbell of 'sexing up' intelligence.
* July 8, 2003: 8.10am
Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon responds to Foreign Affairs Committee report question about the 45 minute claim.
"That particular piece of intelligence was assessed as being reliable".
- Geoff Hoon
* July 8, 2003: 8.55am
Tim Allen, former aide to Alastair Campbell, demands the BBC backs down.
"The only reason (Alastair Campbell) has become the story is that the national public service broadcaster has made a wholly inaccurate and wrong allegation against him."
- Tim Allen
* July 9, 2003:
Dr David Kelly is named in newspaper reports as the man who'd come forward to admit speaking with Andrew Gilligan.
* July 10, 2003: 7.09am
Robin Cook, former Foreign Secretary.
"In the September dossier they said quite explicitly that there were weapons, and famously that they were weapons ready for use with 45 minutes".
- Robin Cook
* July 10, 2003: 8.10am
Andrew Gilligan and former PM John Major.
"The issue is whether he sincerely believed that what he was saying in September was true at the time ... nobody has ever accused Mr Blair of lying."
- Andrew Gilligan
"I think (questions over intelligence have) to be cleared up because it's in the Government's interests to clear it up".
- John Major
* July 12, 2003: 7.32am
Robert Kelly, father of the youngest soldier to die, 18-year-old Andrew, on why he's writing to the Prime Minister and Liberal Democrat peer William Wallace on the intelligence reports.
"The BBC has been pressing our Prime Minister for answers (as to the reason for going to war) and they can't get any answers, so I don't hold any hope."
- Robert Kelly
* July 15, 2003:
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee interviews Dr David Kelly.
* July 16, 2003: 7.14am
Shadow Foreign Secretary Michael Ancram, following Dr David Kelly's evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
"The Government put up poor Dr Kelly last night as their evidence that you and your programme had maligned them, to use a polite word, and the moment he appeared before the committee it became absolutely clear that he wasn't the source of Andrew Gilligan's report."
- Michael Ancram
* July 16, 2003: 8.10am
Adam Ingram, Armed Forces Minister, responds to Dr David Kelly's evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee, plus hear an extract of Dr Kelly's evidence and Richard Ottaway, a Conservative member of Foreign Affairs Committee.
"The background to Dr Kelly's name coming into the public domain was not brought about by the MoD. What happened was that his name was becoming known and we then confirmed that he had come forward ... if Dr Kelly is not your source, then simply say that ... if clarity is required, let the BBC be honest and open about this."
- Adam Ingram
"This is a complete distraction, what's going on with Dr Kelly. It took a committee of ordinary backbenchers 20 minutes to work out that Dr Kelly was not the source of Mr Gilligan's report ... it's just a sideshow."
- Richard Ottaway
* July 16, 2003:
Dr David Kelly gives evidence in private to the Intelligence and Security Committee.
* July 17, 2003: approximately 3.00pm
Dr Kelly leaves his home in Oxfordshire.
* July 17, 2003:
Andrew Gilligan gives evidence a second time to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee and is branded an "unsatisfactory witness".
* July 17, 2003: approx. 11.45pm
Dr Kelly's family report him missing.
* July 18, 2003: 6.38am
Norman Smith, our political correspondent reports on the reaction of the committee to Andrew Gilligan's evidence.
"The bottom line is they feel Andrew Gilligan is a dodgy witness ... they're saying 'I'm not sure about Andrew Gilligan, but on the other hand we're not saying his story's not true', so very confused indeed."
* July 18, 2003: 7.09am
Mark Damazar, deputy director of BBC News, was with Andrew Gilligan at his second committee appearance. Also Richard Ottaway (Con) and Gisela Stuart (Lab) on why some members were absent.
"I thought that the evidence that Andrew gave yesterday was consistent with what he said on this programme on May the 29th ... one or two key members of the committee were absent ... if journalists are not allowed to protect their sources, it will mean that information that is needed to expose all kinds of issues, not merely political issues but all kinds of other issues, will cease to flow."
- Mark Damazar
"I utterly dissociate myself with the (committee) report ... there will be no flow of information if journalists are expected to reveal their sources ... I see no reason why (Andrew Gilligan) shouldn't be considered credible now."
- Richard Ottaway
"Our report says that it concludes that it's unsatisfactory that witnesses (who) enjoy privilege, can make serious allegations ..."
- Gisela Stuart
* July 18, 2003: shortly after 9.00am
It's announced that Dr David Kelly is missing.
* July 18, 2003: 9.20am
A body, later identified as Dr David Kelly's, is found about 5 miles from his home.
* July 19, 2003: 7.09am
Our Political Correspondent Guto Harri from Tokyo, travelling with the Prime Minister, plus Jane Peel from Dr Kelly's local community on reaction to Dr Kelly's death.
"Very few of those newspaper journalists travelling with me out here would bet much money on Alastair Campbell actually surviving this chain of events."
- Guto Harri
"A great deal of shock and surprise at the apparent death ... of a man who was described to me as ... not used to being in the public eye."
- Jane Peel
* July 19, 2003: 8.10am
Scott Ritter, former head of the UN inspection team looking for Iraqi WMDs on the death of his former colleague, Dr Kelly. Also David Davis MP (Con), Eric Illsley MP (Lab), a member of the FAC and Andrew Marr.
"It doesn't surprise me that David Kelly, as a man of integrity, a man of character and somebody who cared deeply about his country, might be concerned about the path his Government is taking."
- Scott Ritter
"(Dr Kelly) was treated no differently than any other witness ... I think he was thrust very quickly into the spotlight of Westminster and obviously he didn't adapt to that at all."
- Eric Illsley
"Alastair Campbell is a professional at this (giving evidence to committees) ... Dr Kelly was put in a position where he had to do it ... he was caught in this savage battle between the BBC and the Government on this issue and his was put up by the Government to do this."
- David Davis
"Some newspapers were certainly given the name (of Dr Kelly) and from that all of the public events that he found so stressful emerged ... somebody in Government gave three newspapers the name of Dr Kelly."
- Andrew Marr
* July 20, 2003:
BBC publicly admits Dr Kelly was the primary source for both Andrew Gilligan's and Susan Watts' reports.
* July 21, 2003: 7.09am
Former minister and friend to Tony Blair Peter Mandelson responds to the BBC's admission that Dr Kelly was the source for Andrew Gilligan's and Susan Watt's reports.
"You said that (the 45 minute claim) had not been approved by the security services. We now have the testimony of the chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee John Scarlett and the head of MI6 that it was indeed approved by them."
- Peter Mandelson
* July 21, 7.18am
Former International Development Secretary Clare Short on Dr Kelly's death.
"I think this is disgraceful ... now we're getting someone like Peter Mandelson, who can only be briefed by Number 10, he didn't see any of these documents in the original, widening the assault on the BBC. And it's all part of a distraction from the real issue which is how did we get to war in Iraq? Was the intelligence exaggerated to suggest there was an imminent threat?"
- Clare Short
* July 21, 2003: 8.10am
Lord Scott, chair of the arms to Iraq inquiry, on how inquiries such as Lord Hutton's are likely to proceed, plus Shadow Home Secretary Oliver Letwin.
"For a non-statutory inquiry, you need to get assurances that the important people that you're going to have to ask questions of will be willing to cooperate."
- Lord Scott
"I don't know who revealed what details to which papers about Dr Kelly. I don't know what pressures he was or wasn't put under ... that's why I'd like to see this inquiry bring out those answers."
- Oliver Letwin
* July 21, 2003: 8.52am
Boris Johnson MP (Con), Lord Goodhart (Lib) and Gisela Stuart (Lab) discuss Dr Kelly's death and what they want Lord Hutton to investigate.
"How did it happen that a man who was told his name would be protected ... suddenly find himself unwillingly thrust forward."
- Boris Johnson
"The judicial inquiry at this stage should very much focus on the way Dr Kelly's name came into the public arena."
- Gisela Stuart
"Who is telling the truth, as between Andrew Gilligan and Dr Kelly?"
- Lord Goodhart
* July 21, 2003:
Lord Hutton spells out the terms of reference for his inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Dr David Kelly's death.
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