Radio report on 45-minute claim 'was in public interest'

By Ben Russell Political Correspondent

26 September 2003

Andrew Gilligan admitted mistakes but was right to broadcast David Kelly's views about the Government's dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction, the reporter's barrister told the Hutton inquiry yesterday.

Heather Rogers, counsel for Mr Gilligan, told Lord Hutton: "Andrew Gilligan has accepted that he made mistakes. They were inadvertent. But it is important to acknowledge that it was right for Andrew Gilligan to talk to David Kelly.

"It was right for Andrew Gilligan to ask him about the September dossier. It was right to report what Dr Kelly said about it. In short, it was right for Andrew Gilligan to tell the public."

Ms Rogers said Mr Gilligan had "written the story in good faith, fairly and accurately what Dr Kelly had told him". She added: "What Dr Kelly had told him was of interest to the public, Mr Gilligan was right to do his best to report the story."

Defending Mr Gilligan's reports, she said: "Of course, Andrew Gilligan did not have a verbatim note of the conversation. He is not a court transcriber who records every word. He is a journalist, and like most journalists he made notes. He made and revised them on his personal organiser at the meeting.The next day he wrote out a longer account of the conversation."

She added: "As for how the story was reported, the inquiry knows from Mr Gilligan's evidence that he has examined and re-examined in the cold, clear light of hindsight every aspect of his reporting in the light of what has happened since 29 May.

"His journalism has been subjected to an unprecedented level of scrutiny. He has acknowledged his mistakes. They were made inadvertently and in good faith."

Questioned by Lord Hutton about errors in Mr Gilligan's reports, she said: "The law allows, as it must, a margin for error. It does not require perfection from those who practice the trade of journalism in the media, as in real life nobody is perfect."

She accused Alastair Campbell, the Prime Minister's director of communications, of acting like a "playground bully" in his battle with the BBC. She said: "We now know, because we have seen Alastair Campbell's diary extracts, that he and Geoff Hoon agreed, when they learned that the source had come forward, that this was an opportunity to get Gilligan. The response is like that of a playground bully. They do not like what Andrew Gilligan has said and they want to get him."