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| Campbell defends Iraq war dossier | Campbell defends Iraq war dossier |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| Tony Blair's ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell has said he "defends every single word" of the 2002 dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. | Tony Blair's ex-spokesman Alastair Campbell has said he "defends every single word" of the 2002 dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. |
| Mr Campbell told the UK's Iraq war inquiry the dossier could have been "clearer" but did not "misrepresent" the threat from Saddam's weapons. | Mr Campbell told the UK's Iraq war inquiry the dossier could have been "clearer" but did not "misrepresent" the threat from Saddam's weapons. |
| In questions lasting four hours he also denied claims Mr Blair "shifted" to back regime change after a US summit. | |
| He said Mr Blair had hoped to disarm Iraq via the UN right up to the war. | He said Mr Blair had hoped to disarm Iraq via the UN right up to the war. |
| But he also revealed that Mr Blair had written privately to President Bush several times in 2002 signalling that the UK "will be there" should diplomacy fail and military action take place. | But he also revealed that Mr Blair had written privately to President Bush several times in 2002 signalling that the UK "will be there" should diplomacy fail and military action take place. |
| Mr Campbell said the prime minister recognised the deep opposition to military action amongst much of the British public but believed there would be a "bigger day of reckoning" to come with Saddam if he was not confronted at the time. | |
| Countdown to war | Countdown to war |
| Mr Campbell is the most prominent figure to appear so far before the inquiry, which is looking at UK policy before and after the 2003 war. | Mr Campbell is the most prominent figure to appear so far before the inquiry, which is looking at UK policy before and after the 2003 war. |
| CAMPBELL FACTS An ex-journalist, Alastair Campbell was Tony Blair's press secretary between 1994 and 2003 and No 10 director of communications from 1997 to 2003. Live: Campbell before inquiry | |
| As No 10 director of communications between 1997 and 2003, he played a key role in the drawing up of the government's September 2002 dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. | As No 10 director of communications between 1997 and 2003, he played a key role in the drawing up of the government's September 2002 dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction. |
| Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot said he was seeking answers from Mr Campbell about the "presentation of the case" for military action in Iraq. | Inquiry chairman Sir John Chilcot said he was seeking answers from Mr Campbell about the "presentation of the case" for military action in Iraq. |
| Mr Campbell, who has given evidence to three previous inquiries on Iraq, said claims that Mr Blair "tightened" his stance on regime change on Iraq following a meeting with President Bush at his Crawford ranch - made by former UK ambassador to the US Sir Christopher Meyer- were not "accurate". | Mr Campbell, who has given evidence to three previous inquiries on Iraq, said claims that Mr Blair "tightened" his stance on regime change on Iraq following a meeting with President Bush at his Crawford ranch - made by former UK ambassador to the US Sir Christopher Meyer- were not "accurate". |
| AT THE INQUIRY BBC World Affairs correspondent Peter Biles Alastair Campbell forced his way through a scrum of photographers and TV cameramen when he arrived an hour ahead of his scheduled appearance time at the Iraq Inquiry. | AT THE INQUIRY BBC World Affairs correspondent Peter Biles Alastair Campbell forced his way through a scrum of photographers and TV cameramen when he arrived an hour ahead of his scheduled appearance time at the Iraq Inquiry. |
| The former Downing Street spin-doctor had already removed his jacket as he was escorted into the QEII Conference Centre, perhaps an early sign that he was ready for business. Members of the public had been queuing outside from as early as 7am. | The former Downing Street spin-doctor had already removed his jacket as he was escorted into the QEII Conference Centre, perhaps an early sign that he was ready for business. Members of the public had been queuing outside from as early as 7am. |
| The session got off to a prickly start when committee member, Sir Roderic Lyne asked Mr Campbell if he would have done "anything" for Tony Blair. "Well if he'd asked me to jump off a building, I wouldn't", replied Campbell. There was a gentle rebuke from Sir Roderic who asked Campbell to be serious. | The session got off to a prickly start when committee member, Sir Roderic Lyne asked Mr Campbell if he would have done "anything" for Tony Blair. "Well if he'd asked me to jump off a building, I wouldn't", replied Campbell. There was a gentle rebuke from Sir Roderic who asked Campbell to be serious. |
| What we have heard so far amounts to a staunch defence of Tony Blair's premiership. It is also confirmation that Alastair Campbell's influence and importance inside Downing Street was without precedent for a Communications Director. | What we have heard so far amounts to a staunch defence of Tony Blair's premiership. It is also confirmation that Alastair Campbell's influence and importance inside Downing Street was without precedent for a Communications Director. |
| He said Sir Christopher - when he appeared before the inquiry last month - had given a "wrong portrayal" of the meeting and UK policy was still focused on disarming Iraq and getting it to abide by UN resolutions. | |
| "I do not really accept this analysis that there was a fundamental shift of approach and policy by the prime minister," he said. | |
| Mr Campbell said Mr Blair did not think Saddam Hussein should be confronted simply because President Bush "wanted" to confront him. | |
| Mr Blair "genuinely believed" that Iraq's flouting of UN resolutions and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction needed to be dealt with. | Mr Blair "genuinely believed" that Iraq's flouting of UN resolutions and pursuit of weapons of mass destruction needed to be dealt with. |
| But Mr Campbell said Mr Blair had been clear that military action against Iraq should be regarded as a last resort if the diplomatic process failed and war only became inevitable when efforts to get a second UN resolution collapsed. | But Mr Campbell said Mr Blair had been clear that military action against Iraq should be regarded as a last resort if the diplomatic process failed and war only became inevitable when efforts to get a second UN resolution collapsed. |
| "You seem to be wanting me to say that Tony Blair signed up to saying, regardless of the facts and WMD, we are going to get rid of this guy," he said. "It was not like this." | "You seem to be wanting me to say that Tony Blair signed up to saying, regardless of the facts and WMD, we are going to get rid of this guy," he said. "It was not like this." |
| Letters | |
| But he revealed that Mr Blair had written to President Bush during 2002 about the disarmament strategy, in letters which have not been published, saying: "If that cannot be done diplomatically and it is to be done militarily, Britain will be there. That would be the tenor of the communication to the president." | But he revealed that Mr Blair had written to President Bush during 2002 about the disarmament strategy, in letters which have not been published, saying: "If that cannot be done diplomatically and it is to be done militarily, Britain will be there. That would be the tenor of the communication to the president." |
| Asked about weapons of mass destruction, he said their alleged existence became such a "central issue" because of the sense of the "serious and credible threat" they posed to stability in the region. | Asked about weapons of mass destruction, he said their alleged existence became such a "central issue" because of the sense of the "serious and credible threat" they posed to stability in the region. |
| "Tony Blair had a fundamental view about this, about there being a real threat" he said. | "Tony Blair had a fundamental view about this, about there being a real threat" he said. |
| However, he said Mr Blair still hoped that the issue could be "peacefully resolved" right up to the eve of war. | However, he said Mr Blair still hoped that the issue could be "peacefully resolved" right up to the eve of war. |
| class="lp" href="http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/talking_point/default.stm">HAVE YOUR SAYWatching Campbell dealing with this enquiry is just awe-inspiringRob, Lichfield class="" href="http://newsforums.bbc.co.uk/nol/thread.jspa?forumID=7406&edition=1&ttl=20100112112550">Send us your comments | |
| Asked about his relationship with the former prime minister, Mr Campbell said it was "very close" but he stressed that Mr Blair fully consulted other key ministers on Iraq policy including the then Chancellor Gordon Brown. | |
| On the September 2002 dossier, on which Mr Campbell provided "presentational" support, he insisted it had not been designed to present the "case for war" but to highlight why Mr Blair was increasingly "concerned" about the threat posed by Iraq. | On the September 2002 dossier, on which Mr Campbell provided "presentational" support, he insisted it had not been designed to present the "case for war" but to highlight why Mr Blair was increasingly "concerned" about the threat posed by Iraq. |
| Describing it as a "cautious" assessment, he said the dossier was "owned" by the Joint Intelligence Committee and, at no stage, did No 10 try to "beef up or over-ride" its judgements. | Describing it as a "cautious" assessment, he said the dossier was "owned" by the Joint Intelligence Committee and, at no stage, did No 10 try to "beef up or over-ride" its judgements. |
| "I don't believe the dossier in any sense misrepresented the position." | "I don't believe the dossier in any sense misrepresented the position." |
| The dossier included a foreword by Mr Blair in which he wrote that he believed the intelligence had established "beyond doubt" that Saddam Hussein had continued to produce chemical and biological weapons, an assertion Mr Campbell said he stood by. | The dossier included a foreword by Mr Blair in which he wrote that he believed the intelligence had established "beyond doubt" that Saddam Hussein had continued to produce chemical and biological weapons, an assertion Mr Campbell said he stood by. |
| Sir John Scarlett, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, told the inquiry last month that the foreword was "overtly political" and "quite separate" from the rest of the dossier. | Sir John Scarlett, chairman of the Joint Intelligence Committee, told the inquiry last month that the foreword was "overtly political" and "quite separate" from the rest of the dossier. |
| 45-minute claim | |
| Mr Campbell, who drafted the first version of the foreword - ultimately approved by Mr Blair - said no-one in the intelligence community challenged this statement despite being free to do so. | Mr Campbell, who drafted the first version of the foreword - ultimately approved by Mr Blair - said no-one in the intelligence community challenged this statement despite being free to do so. |
| The foreword, he added, had never suggested Saddam Hussein "was able to do something terrible to the British mainland". | The foreword, he added, had never suggested Saddam Hussein "was able to do something terrible to the British mainland". |
| INQUIRY TIMELINE January-February: Tony Blair, Jack Straw and other politicians to appear before the panel March: Inquiry to adjourn ahead of the general election campaignJuly-August: Inquiry expected to resume with Gordon Brown and David Miliband among those appearingReport set to be published in late 2010 or early 2011 href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/8378559.stm">Iraq inquiry: Day-by-day timeline class="" href="/2/hi/uk_news/politics/7312757.stm">Q&A: Iraq war inquiry | |
| On the 45-minute claim, which was retracted after the war, he said the dossier "obviously" could have been clearer about it referring to battlefield munitions. | On the 45-minute claim, which was retracted after the war, he said the dossier "obviously" could have been clearer about it referring to battlefield munitions. |
| But he insisted that Mr Blair had put forward a balanced argument in the House of Commons on the issue and the 45-minute claim was only given "iconic" status by the press. | But he insisted that Mr Blair had put forward a balanced argument in the House of Commons on the issue and the 45-minute claim was only given "iconic" status by the press. |
| "We did not see it or plan our communications around that particular point," he said. | "We did not see it or plan our communications around that particular point," he said. |
| Questions about Mr Campbell's role in drawing up the dossier were at the centre of a post-invasion row with the BBC which culminated in the death of the government weapons expert Dr David Kelly and the subsequent Hutton inquiry. | Questions about Mr Campbell's role in drawing up the dossier were at the centre of a post-invasion row with the BBC which culminated in the death of the government weapons expert Dr David Kelly and the subsequent Hutton inquiry. |
| He described a second dossier on Iraq's concealment strategy in February 2003 - later revealed to have to have been plagiarised from a Middle East journal - as "unfortunate" and damaging to public trust. | He described a second dossier on Iraq's concealment strategy in February 2003 - later revealed to have to have been plagiarised from a Middle East journal - as "unfortunate" and damaging to public trust. |
| Mr Campbell said he was "never in doubt" that Iraq would be found to possess weapons of mass destruction and the realisation that they did not was "very difficult". | Mr Campbell said he was "never in doubt" that Iraq would be found to possess weapons of mass destruction and the realisation that they did not was "very difficult". |
| Former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will give evidence to the inquiry next week with Mr Blair expected to appear at a later date. | Former Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon and former Foreign Secretary Jack Straw will give evidence to the inquiry next week with Mr Blair expected to appear at a later date. |
| His successor as prime minister, Gordon Brown, will not give evidence until after the general election, expected to take place in May. The Iraq Inquiry's final report is due to be published by early next year. | His successor as prime minister, Gordon Brown, will not give evidence until after the general election, expected to take place in May. The Iraq Inquiry's final report is due to be published by early next year. |