BBC chief rejects Campbell claims

Mr Campbell was bullish in his evidence

The BBC's director of news has accused Tony Blair's press chief of misrepresenting the corporation's journalism in the Iraq weapons row.

Alastair Campbell has demanded an apology from the BBC over a report which included allegations that he "sexed up" intelligence evidence in the government's first dossier about Iraq's alleged weapons.

But the BBC's Richard Sambrook said the corporation had nothing to apologise for and said he was satisfied the claim came from a "senior and credible" source within the intelligence services.

The BBC isn't going to apologise for something we have not said

Richard Sambrook
BBC director of news

Full response to apology demand

Mr Sambrook said of Mr Campbell: "He said we had accused him and the prime minister of lying. That is not true.

"He said we had accused the prime minister of misleading the Commons. We have never said such a thing.

"He said we were trying to suggest the prime minister had led the country to war on a false basis. We have never suggested that."

Mr Sambrook also denied Mr Campbell's claim that there was an anti-war agenda in large parts of the BBC.

And, referring to the second government dossier on Iraq, he said the corporation did not need to be taught about corroborating sources by a communications department which had plagiarised an article in an academic journal.

After the showdown, the verdict. Expert pundits give their view

In pictures

Later on Thursday, Downing Street issued a series of questions it says the BBC should answer over its reports on Iraq's weapons.

Meanwhile, some Labour backbenchers are saying Mr Campbell's grilling by the Commons foreign affairs select committee has left unanswered questions.

BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan reported last month that a senior British intelligence official had told him that the government's first dossier on Iraq's weapons programme, published last September, had been "sexed up" at Downing Street's request.

In particular, the official claimed that Downing Street had asked for extra prominence to be given to the suggestion Iraq could launch a chemical or biological strike within 45 minutes of an order.

Intelligence agencies

Mr Campbell insisted intelligence agencies made the 45 minute reference and said claims he had hyped it up were a "lie".

"It is completely and totally untrue that I in any way over-rode that judgement, sought to exaggerate that intelligence, sought to use it in any way that the intelligence agencies weren't 100% content with," he went on.

He continued: "I think it is time the BBC apologised to us in relation to the 45 minutes point."

But Labour MP Brian Donohoe, who was persuaded not to vote against the war, said the attack on the BBC was a diversion from the main issue.

"We have to be shown that at the time there was the best information available that there were weapons of mass destruction," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.

Former Armed Forces Minister Douglas Henderson said there was growing backing for opposition calls for an independent judicial inquiry.

The story that I sexed up the (September) dossier is untrue. The story that I put pressure on the intelligence agencies is untrue

Alastair Campbell

Analysis: Truth or lies?

"If necessary, it could hear evidence in private so that sources are protected and I think the public test the judgement that that committee came to," said Mr Henderson.

Mr Campbell says he is prepared for MPs to see all the drafts of the September dossier if the chairman of the joint intelligence committee approves that move.

The chairman of the Commons public administration committee, Tony Wright, said Mr Campbell's answers had failed to resolve key issues.

Mr Wright said he accepted Mr Campbell had not "messed about" with vital evidence.

But he told BBC Two's Newsnight: "The question is did the intelligence sustain the case for war, even if that war did not have the backing of the United Nations? That is a pretty big test to set yourself."

'Dodgy dossier'

The MPs on the Commons foreign affairs committee have nearly finished their hearings and will report early next month, but are due to speak to Foreign Secretary Jack Straw again in private on Friday.

Earlier this week, Mr Straw - while standing by the accuracy of the document - called the saga over the so-called "dodgy dossier" released in February an embarrassment for the government.

Mr Campbell had commissioned that briefing paper for journalists. It emerged that it included material copied from an academic article about Iraq.

He told the MPs he regretted the mistakes made over that document.

But he denied the way he had briefed the prime minister about the document had caused Mr Blair to mislead Parliament.

The academic whose work was plagiarised in the document, Ibrahim al-Marashi, on Thursday said his study had been "sexed up" to promote a political agenda.