Hoon to face Kelly questions

Today's schedule at the Hutton enquiry.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3183679.stm

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon is due to face tough questions on Wednesday, as he gives evidence to the public inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly.
Mr Hoon will be asked how Dr Kelly was named as the source of a BBC report that claimed a government dossier on Iraq's alleged weapons of mass destruction was "sexed up" to make the case for war.

The inquiry has been told Mr Hoon overruled his most senior civil servant to insist Dr Kelly give evidence about the report in public to the Commons foreign affairs select committee two days before the scientist's apparent suicide.

Lord Hutton, who is chairing the inquiry, will ask Mr Hoon if he wanted Dr Kelly identified so the weapons expert could refute the BBC report and exonerate the government. The defence secretary will also be asked why he prevented the committee from questioning Dr Kelly on his broader views on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction - a move described on Tuesday as a "monumental cheek" by Labour MP Andrew MacKinlay.

http://www.the-hutton-inquiry.org.uk/

How much does this, and all the other press coverage, say Hoon is being set up to save Blair. It's all a whitewash if you ask me.

Good letter in the Guardian yesterday pointing asking why all the talk of changing the summery, as every good student knows the summery should reflect the main body of the dossier not the other way round!

Hoon is going to carry the can, he'll walk to a cushy directorship probably with BAE.

Blair will walk away tarnished but basically intact. He stands a decent chance of another term. He may step down to allow Gordon Brown in.

Campbell will wait 2 weeks and resign.

Soldiers will keep getting killed because they all lied. Iraqis are dead because they all lied. Dr Kelly is dead as their pride allows them to brook no criticism.

We used to pin people's heads on traitors gate for this kind of rubbish.

Geoff (buf)Hoon seems to be just denying most things. Is it just me or does every "new" labour minister have a sign on their desk that reads "THE BUCK STOPS SOMEWHERE ELSE!"

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_politics/3183679.stm

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has denied there was a deliberate plan to publicly identify Dr David Kelly after the weapons expert admitted meeting a BBC journalist.

He said there was "no conspiracy" to make Dr Kelly's name public, and he defended the decision to allow the scientist to give evidence to a committee of MPs.

And he insisted that Dr Kelly's anonymity had been protected at all stages, adding: "I cannot see in any way that Dr Kelly was poorly treated in the process inside the MoD."

Mr Hoon, giving evidence to the Hutton inquiry into Dr Kelly's death, said "question and answer" briefing papers for Ministry of Defence press officers were not intended to include information which would help journalists identify the scientist.