Kelly comments 'not approved'

Dr Kelly's funeral will be held on Wednesday

Downing Street has distanced itself from a report that the government saw weapons expert Dr David Kelly as a "Walter Mitty" character.

Tony Blair's spokesman was commenting on a newspaper report which quoted a "senior Whitehall source" saying Dr Kelly had misled the government and BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan over Iraq's weapons programmes.

Walter Mitty is a character in a story by US author James Thurber who fantasised about being a hero.

If I had a tape of the conversation, then the whole world would know that Number 10 did say such a thing Paul Waugh The Independent

As questioning over the comments intensified, Downing Street effectively acknowledged that somebody in Number 10 did speak to the newspaper.

But a spokesman said: "Any conversation was simply looking at the questions for all concerned that the inquiry would have to answer.

"It was not intended as an official briefing, nor does it reflect the government's view, which is that only the Hutton inquiry can answer those questions."

According to the insider, reported in the Independent newspaper, Dr Kelly had not revealed the extent of his contacts with Mr Gilligan to Ministry of Defence officials.

And the report quoted the source as saying the scientist had told Mr Gilligan more than he would have known.

Initially, Mr Blair's spokesman said on Monday morning: "I don't know where this comment has come from, but we do want to make it absolutely clear that nobody with either the prime minister's or anybody else in Downing Street's approval would say such a thing.

"The prime minister has called for restraint from the outset while Lord Hutton carries out his inquiry and I would like to repeat that today, as it has got particular resonance with the funeral this week."

'Appalling description'

Paul Waugh, the Independent's deputy political editor, said he stood by his story.

"I rang a senior person within Downing Street who then was very forthcoming, almost with a pre-prepared line about Walter Mitty," he told BBC Radio 4's the World at One programme.

"I know for a fact, subsequently, I wasn't the only person who was sold this line as a result."

This is the most tasteless intervention one could imagine at a time when Dr Kelly's funeral has not yet taken place Menzies Campbell

Mr Waugh said his paper hesitated about printing the "appalling description", "but then ultimately we decided that if this is possibly a government smear against an eminent scientist, then may be it should be out there".

Pre-empting inquiry?

Menzies Campbell, the Liberal Democrats foreign affairs spokesman, said if the report was accurate, "then it seems someone in Number 10 Downing Street has taken leave of their senses".

"This is the most tasteless intervention one could imagine at a time when Dr Kelly's funeral has not yet taken place."

Mr Campbell said Lord Hutton would not be very impressed if anybody tried to pre-empt his inquiry.

Hoon is under pressure over his holiday

Richard Butler, the former head of the Iraqi weapons inspection team Unscom, said he did not recognise the Walter Mitty description of Dr Kelly, who was "an Englishman, an Oxford man, a scientist, a man who I saw was welded to the truth".

And Alistair Hay, Professor of Environmental Toxicology at Leeds University and a friend of Dr Kelly, said he was "appalled" by the reported comments.

"I thought the prime minister was calling for some decency and for people to hold off and wanting Lord Hutton to investigate this issue," he told Radio 4's PM programme.

"So the fact that this seems to be some attempt to undermine Dr Kelly, who of course is not in a position to defend himself, is incredible.

"But I also find the claims about Dr Kelly staggering."

Holidays

Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon has come under fire in some newspapers for going ahead with a family holiday in America rather than staying in the UK for Dr Kelly's funeral on Wednesday.

Instead, Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott will attend the funeral.

But Mr Blair's spokesman said: "There have been discussions with Mrs Kelly and the family and, in the circumstances, it has been decided that the deputy prime minister will be there representing the country at the very highest level.

"My understanding is that the family are happy with the arrangements that have been made and we feel it is appropriate that the deputy prime minister attends.

"It is a family funeral and it would be inappropriate for anybody to suggest who should be there and who should not be there. It is up to the family. It's their day."

Dr Kelly is thought to have committed suicide after speculation - later confirmed by the BBC - that he was the source of stories that raised concerns over the way the government presented its case for war with Iraq.