Let me get this straight in my mind. Andrew Gilligan broadcasts a story on national radio calling into question the integrity of the PM and Alistair Campbell.
The Government know that the story is false.
There follows an aggressive and sustained attack by Campbell, Blair and the Government on the BBC demanding an apology, which following the Hutton report is forthcoming.
The morning after the dossier is published, and I quote from Newsnight presenter Jeremy Paxman last night, who was quoting from The Sun (headline the morning after dossier published) "British holidaymakers and servicemen in Cyprus could be just 45 minutes from a chemical attack". This story was front page in a number of other leading national newspapers that day. The Government, namely the Secretary of State for Defence, Geoff Hoon knew that this story was false. Yet the Government made no attempt to demand that this story be corrected.
Why?
Who else knew that the 45 minute claim only referred to battlefield weapons?
Did Alistair Campbell know?
Did Sir John Scarlett know?
Did the Foreign Office know?
If they did not know, why wasnt a warning issued to the public about the danger they faced by going on holiday to Cyprus?
When did the PM finally get told that the 45 minute claim referred only to battlefield weapons?
Was it prior to him having to give evidence to the FAC, or ISC or the Hutton Enquiry?
Who, and why, finally decided that PM had to know that the 45 minute claim referred only to battlefield weapons?
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Edited for spelling