Gilligan under cross-examination

BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan faced cross-examination barristers during his second appearance before the Hutton inquiry into the events surrounding Dr David Kelly's death.

The barristers questions are in red with Mr Gilligan's answers in quote marks.

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Jonathan Sumption QC, counsel for the government

When you said that the government probably knew that it was wrong [about the 45 minute claim] you were actually saying whether intended or not that they were dishonest, were you not?

The allegation I intended to make was of spin but I say I do regard those words as imperfect and I should not have said them ... I really did try and repeatedly make it clear on subsequent occasions that I was not accusing the government of lying or fabrication.

Do you accept Dr Kelly had never described himself as a member of the intelligence services?

I do. It was a mistake. It's the kind of mistake that does arise in live broadcasts that was the only time in all my broadcasts - and there were 19 of them on this subject - that I described him in this way. That's a mistake I have already admitted to.

There was no conscious purpose ... it was simply a slip of the tongue.

There is a world of difference is there not between protecting your sources by saying nothing about them and telling lies about them?

Yes but I do not think I did tell any lies about Dr Kelly.

I suggest that you didn't say anything [to the MoD] about the [sexed-up dossier] story at all other than there would be a story about the weapons of mass destruction issue which was not a matter for them?

That's not the case. I spoke to [chief MoD press officer] Kate Wilson for seven and a half minutes.

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Jeremy Gompertz QC, counsel to the Kelly family

I believe the first thing you did after meeting Dr Kelly on the 22nd of May was to make a manuscript note of the conversation while it was still fresh in your mind?

Yes.

You have now lost that note?

Yes I have.

Before you lost it, did you use it as a basis for your broadcasts on the 29th of May?

Yes in that I used it as a basis for a note to Miranda Holt [Today's day editor] and that was the basis for the broadcasts.

Where did you keep that note?

I had it in a bag. I'm really not sure where it went in between then and my looking for it in advance of the inquiry.

Do you mean a briefcase in which you carried documents around?

It's a laptop bag in which I carry my audio equipment.

When did you last see this note?

I'm not quite sure to be honest, sometime in June would be my best guess.

Did anybody else ever see it?

I don't believe so, no.

So the manuscript note has not been seen by anybody else and we have only your word for what it contained?

Yes.