Blair official denies giving Kelly clues

Kelly died shortly after being publicly named

One of Tony Blair's official spokesmen has denied deliberately giving journalists clues to identify Dr David Kelly as the suspected source of the BBC's controversial Iraq dossier story.

Tom Kelly, who later had to apologise for describing the dead scientist as a "Walter Mitty" character, is facing cross-examination at the Hutton inquiry into Dr Kelly's death.

His fellow Number 10 spokesman Godric Smith is among other witnesses on Tuesday, as are Joint Intelligence Committee (JIC) chairman John Scarlett, Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Michael Page and BBC chairman Gavyn Davies.

Their evidence follows the revelation - according to outgoing Downing Street press chief Alastair Campbell's diaries - that Mr Campbell and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had wanted to reveal the MoD scientist as the mole.

THIS WEEK'S WITNESSES Tuesday: Downing Street spokesmen Tom Kelly and Godric Smith; Joint Intelligence Committee chairman John Scarlett; Thames Valley Police Assistant Chief Constable Michael Page; BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies Wednesday: Foreign Office official Patrick Lamb; Dr Kelly's MoD line manager Bryan Wells; MoD officials Wing Commander John Clark and James Harrison Hutton inquiry: Have your say

Dr Kelly apparently committed suicide after being named as the suspected source for the BBC report on claims that the government "sexed up" its Iraq weapons dossier last September.

Number 10 spokesman Tom Kelly is being asked about the briefing he gave journalists the day after the Ministry of Defence announced that an unnamed official - now known to be Dr Kelly - admitted meeting BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan.

Mr Kelly told the inquiry: "I have to stress that at no point did I try to give information or drop clues which I thought would lead to Dr Kelly's identification...

"I genuinely wanted to try to protect Dr Kelly's identity as much as possible but I had to explain the discrepancies between the BBC statement and the MoD statement."

There was much pressure on officials at the time, he said, but he did not think they had lost sight of the fact there was a person caught up in the controversy who had to be respected.

Mr Kelly accepted he might have inevitably given some information away as he was pressed about which department paid the scientist's salary.

"But I do not believe that that actually helped any of the journalists identify Dr Kelly," he continued.

"Walter Mitty" remark

Dr Kelly's family QC Jeremy Gompertz suggested the spokesman had "narrowed the field very considerably" as journalists tried to identify the source by talking about the scientist's salary arrangements.

Mr Kelly countered he had thought the "field was quite narrow anyway".

The QC also asked about Mr Campbell's diary note on the day of that briefing for journalists that the "biggest thing needed was the source out".

READ ALASTAIR CAMPBELL'S DIARY Diary entries: 4-7 July (PDF file 55.3 KB) Diary entries: 8-15 July (PDF file 35.7 KB) Campbell diaries are star exhibit Media chief survives questions

The spokesman replied that it was not his role to second guess what Mr Campbell had meant. He "categorically" denied there had been any plan to reveal Dr Kelly's identity.

Mr Kelly also again admitted his "Walter Mitty" comment was a mistake, saying it was not part of any strategy "to demean or belittle Dr Kelly".

Apologising again for the comment, he said: "I fully accept that I should not have used what was a too colourful phrase.

"I fully accept that in doing so I ran the risk of misunderstanding and I fully accept that that must have caused the family much distress."

Mr Gompertz suggested the comment had not been made off-the-cuff but was "a scene setting remark...made to several journalists".

But Mr Kelly said that was not its intention.

Later, Mr Scarlett, who was in charge of compiling the weapons dossier, is likely to be questioned about Mr Campbell's influence over the language used in the final document.

'No conspiracy'

Extracts of Mr Campbell's diaries from the period after Dr Kelly had come forward to his MoD bosses were published on the Hutton inquiry's website as he was cross-examined on Monday.

Entries made over four days in July indicated the defence secretary had shared Mr Campbell's own resolve to give Dr Kelly's name to the media as the source of BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan.

The extracts appeared to undermine Mr Hoon's earlier evidence on Monday, in which he told the inquiry there had been "no conspiracy" to identify Dr Kelly.

The diaries suggest Mr Hoon and Mr Campbell believed unmasking Dr Kelly would discredit Mr Gilligan's story - although say they did not try to name him.

The Hutton inquiry is due to end on Thursday. Its findings are expected to be published some time in November.