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Blair wants apology from bbc Original Source Link: (May no longer be active)
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8878684?source=PAhttp://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/articles/8878684?source=PA
Blair still wants apology
29 January 2004
Downing Street today repeated its demand for an apology from the BBC board of governors over the David Kelly affair.
Prime Minister Tony Blair's official spokesman rejected the televised statement by the corporation's Director General Greg Dyke, in which he apologised for mistakes made in reporter Andrew Gilligan's controversial Today programme broadcast last year.
Meanwhile, BBC governors are still holding crisis talks following the resignation of chairman Gavyn Davies over the Hutton inquiry.
Mr Davies quit after the Corporation received damning criticism in Lord Hutton's report and speculation was mounting today that further key BBC staff may follow suit.
In a dramatic statement last night Mr Davies said he took responsibility but questioned the law lord's findings into the death of Dr David Kelly.
And defiant director general Greg Dyke defended the "greater part" of the
report that sparked the war with Downing Street.
That angered former Number 10 media chief Alastair Campbell, who last night said the BBC was "making matters worse for themselves".
"I think they should just face the facts. Lord Hutton has set out the facts. The BBC should face them," he said.
Those facts were yesterday revealed as an unequivocal vindication of Tony Blair and his Government.
The peer's inquiry concluded BBC claims that Downing Street "sexed-up" a dossier on Iraqi weapons were "unfounded".
Reporter Andrew Gilligan was wrong to claim Number 10 inserted intelligence knowing it was suspect, he said.
And there was no "underhand" Government strategy to expose Dr Kelly as the source for his Radio 4 Today programme report.
Critically Lord Hutton went further, calling BBC editorial procedures that allowed the report to be broadcast "defective".
Worse for the Corporation, he criticised both managers and governors for not investigating the Government's complaints.
Mr Campbell, the former Downing Street media chief at the heart of the allegations, made his feelings clear.
"If the Government faced the level of criticism which today Lord Hutton has directed to the BBC, there would clearly have been resignations by now. Several resignations at several levels."
Mr Davies last night told fellow governors: "I have been brought up to believe that you cannot choose your own referee, and that the referee's decision is final.
"There is an honourable tradition in British public life that those charged with authority at the top of an organisation should accept responsibility for what happens in that organisation."
However, Mr Davies raised a series of questions about the inquiry's findings.
Earlier, Mr Dyke accepted "certain key allegations" in the Today report on May 29 last year were wrong and apologised for them.
But he added: "We would point out again that at no stage in the last eight months have we accused the Prime Minister of lying and have said this publicly on several occasions.
"The dossier raised issues of great public interest. Dr Kelly was a credible source.
"Provided his allegations were reported accurately, the public in a modern democracy had a right to be made aware of them.
"The greater part of the BBC's coverage of the dossier fulfilled this purpose."
Mr Campbell was scathing about their remarks.
"Gavyn Davies has resigned and yet his statement appears to be saying - as Greg Dyke's statement was saying - that in fact they basically stand by the story," he said.
"They are saying they basically were happy with the way that the BBC conducted itself.
"I just cannot understand how they can say that in the light of the report that has been published today.
"The BBC strategy now, having spent weeks saying Lord Hutton was clearly a man of impeccable integrity whose judgment should not be questioned, the strategy now is to question his judgment.
"I think that is wrong."
As governors were considering the implications of Lord Hutton's findings today, the criticism may have serious implications for the Corporation's charter renewal in 2006.
The management structure of the BBC has remained virtually unchanged since it was formed in 1922.
While other broadcasters come under the auspices of new media regulator Ofcom, the BBC is independent.
Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell said last night in a statement: "In light of Lord Hutton's report, Gavyn Davies has done the honourable thing in resigning.
"He is a man of integrity and has demonstrated that in the way he has led the BBC Governors.
"We will shortly advertise for a new Chairman. To ensure full transparency, this will be carried out fully in accordance with Nolan principles, as it was for Gavyn's appointment.
"It will be for the new chairman to take forward the lessons from Lord Hutton's report within the BBC.
"In the meantime, as prescribed by the BBC Charter, I am very grateful to Richard Ryder who, as Vice Chairman, will lead the Governors.
"The BBC Charter Review, which is already under way, will analyse and determine the whole future structure, role and funding of the Corporation within the normal 10-year cycle.
"Lord Hutton's conclusions will be taken into account as part of the Charter Review. But the end result will be a strong BBC, independent of Government."
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