Hutton report: Reaction

Here is reaction to Lord Hutton's report into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly:

Ex-Downing Street communications chief Alastair Campbell:

Said the report showed that he, the prime minister and the government had told the truth.

Turning on the BBC, he said: "This was much more than an attack on my integrity - it was a fundamental attack on the integrity of the intelligence agencies on the government and most of all, given the job that I did, on the prime minister.

What we want to be examining is whether the government acted wisely and whether the intelligence was right Robin Cook

"If the government had faced the level of criticism which today Lord Hutton has directed at the BBC, there would clearly have been resignations by now, several resignations at several levels."

Health secretary John Reid:

Said Lord Hutton's ruling was the most comprehensive vindication ever of a British prime minister and his honesty.

He told BBC Radio 5 Live the corporation's integrity "has got to be restored". "We have had to suffer the besmirching internationally of our own government by the BBC."

Former Foreign Secretary Robin Cook:

Welcomed the report but said the prime minister still faced questions about the Iraq war.

"In fact what we want to be examining is whether the government acted wisely and whether the intelligence was right," he told BBC News 24.

Julie Flint, a friend of David Kelly:

Told Radio Five Live that Lord Hutton did not know Dr Kelly: "He was in many ways a private man, as is his wife. They don't go blabbing to people. I'm quite angry that he said David was a hard man to manage, as from what I can see David simply wasn't managed."

David was not a happy man this past year ... He felt he was useless and that he wasn't being given the respect as a bearer of facts that he should be Julie Flint Friend of Dr Kelly

"David belonged to this breed of people who are parachuted into Whitehall - they are not politicians they are not civil servants they are scientists, they are a different breed.

"David was not a happy man this past year, he felt that his scientific wisdom was not being taken into account. He felt he was useless and that he wasn't being given the respect as a bearer of facts that he should be. He felt lost. He had devoted a decade to this.

"He has all his life been a really dedicated public-minded man. He wasn't managed by the MoD - they consigned him to an icebox of indifference."

Martin Sixsmith, the former BBC journalist who later served as a government media director:

Said he was surprised by the extent to which the report laid the blame at the door of the corporation.

The BBC should tough it out.....We're now going to hear a lot of sanctimonious humbug and piffle from journalists and politicians who've never got a story as good as Andrew Gilligan's Boris Johnson Tory MP

Mr Sixsmith, who resigned from his civil service post in the wake of the row over spin doctor Jo Moore's comment that September 11 was a "good day to bury bad news", said the BBC now had to learn lessons from the affair.

"I was quite surprised by the one-sidedness of the report, and I don't mean that in a judgmental way, but the way in which the government was exonerated and the BBC criticised on virtually every matter," he said.

While the BBC had to make sure the mistakes made never happened again, it must not "let itself be neutered by the government", he said.

Conservative MP Boris Johnson:

"The BBC should tough it out.....We're now going to hear a lot of sanctimonious humbug and piffle from journalists and politicians who've never got a story as good as Andrew Gilligan's - and quite frankly aren't fit to lick his boots."

Commons Speaker Michael Martin:

Warned rowdy Labour MPs they would be asked to leave the chamber if the hissing, booing and jeering continued after Tory leader Michael Howard gave his response to the Hutton report.

They're talking about Ofcom and changing the situation of the BBC - that will be a big national debate, very controversial Andrew Marr

"If this conduct continues there may be a danger that the House will be suspended and I don't want that," he said.

"I don't want hissing throughout the chamber, it is not a conduct that I want to hear and I tell some of the honourable ladies they're quite near getting asked to be withdrawn from the chamber.

"This gathering is important, it's very important, particularly to the Kelly family."

Labour MP Andrew Mackinlay, who questioned Dr Kelly when he appeared before the foreign affairs select committee:

Told BBC News 24 that Lord Hutton had cleared the government as a body and the prime minister and the defence secretary as individuals.

"He's also acknowledged that these are issues which had to be explored and Parliament had a duty to explore them. I think the BBC has got to reflect that they mustn't have this view that somehow the truth shouldn't get in the way of a good story. Things have to be broadcast with clarity and precision."

BBC political editor Andrew Marr:

Said plenty of ministers and MPs were now saying "the BBC has to be thoroughly shaken up".

"They're talking about Ofcom and changing the situation of the BBC - that will be a big national debate, very controversial."

Marr said Tony Blair may see "this as a moment when he could turn the tide on a lot of stories and a lot of impressions about him, all this Tony B Liar and somebody you can't trust, someone who spins his way out of everything - he really wants to turn all of that around".

Ex-Labour transport secretary Stephen Byers:

Told Radio 5 Live Lord Hutton had "vindicated" both Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon.

"He's basically said that the prime minister was honest, he was truthful - and the same with Alastair Campbell and Geoff Hoon," he said.

"They relied on the intelligence they were given - and that was the basis on which they put the information to Parliament and the British people."

Mr Byers added: "Geoff Hoon played it by the book. He is a man of integrity and someone you can trust and that has been shown in the Hutton report today. I do hope that those people that have made all of those allegations will now have the courage and the conviction to be prepared to withdraw those comments and apologise for making them."

Labour MP Chris Bryant on the resignation by Gavyn Davies, chairman of the BBC Board of Governors:

"By going, Gavyn Davies is saying I just happen to be the guy who's going to take the heat on this. It doesn't necessarily mean the whole of the BBC should pay for the particular Gilligan crime."

Labour's Lewis Moonie, a former defence minister and one of Geoff Hoon's friends:

Told Radio Five Live there was an "inconsistency" for the BBC governors who act as both the board of management and the editorial regulator.

"You can't be both," he said, "and this has shown it up very clearly".