Reporter Andrew Gilligan, whose Today programme report sparked the Hutton Inquiry, has resigned from the BBC, he said in a statement tonight.

With the BBC reeling from the resignations of its chairman and director general in the space of two days, an opinion poll today suggested the UK public feel the corporation was hard done by in the Hutton Report.

THE British government last night ended its war with the BBC over the Dr David Kelly affair after its director general quit and its acting chairman apologised “unreservedly” for the controversial Andrew Gilligan broadcast.

The BBC has apologised "unreservedly" for its Iraq weapons story.

The Hutton Report claimed its second BBC scalp today when director general Greg Dyke resigned.

THE BBC’s chairman of governors Gavyn Davies resigned last night after the Hutton report into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly severely criticised the corporation.

David Kelly’s family made a last ditch effort to convince Lord Hutton the British government deliberately made his name public to help in its battle with the BBC, it emerged tonight.

Lord Hutton’s damning criticism of the BBC could have serious implications for the Corporation’s charter renewal in 2006.

The BBC’s chairman of governors Gavyn Davies resigned tonight after Lord Hutton’s report into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly severely criticised the corporation.

BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies became the the first casualty of the Hutton Report today, according to the corporation’s own political editor.

BBC chief executive Greg Dyke today accepted that “certain key allegations” reported by Andrew Gilligan on the Today programme on May 29 last year were wrong and said the BBC apologised for them.

Strike action in defence of Andrew Gilligan was today threatened by the National Union of Journalists.

Reporter Andrew Gilligan’s claim that the British government inserted intelligence into its controversial Iraq dossier knowing it was probably wrong was “unfounded”, Lord Hutton said today.

Weapons expert Dr David Kelly committed suicide by slashing his left wrist - and nobody could have foreseen his actions, Lord Hutton said today.

Furious Tories called for a police inquiry today into the leaking of the Hutton report into the death of British government weapons expert Dr David Kelly.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair was today set to escape major criticism over the suspected suicide of British government weapons expert Dr David Kelly, according to a leaked version of Lord Hutton’s anxiously awaited report into the tragedy.

“STARING into the abyss.” It seems a very apocalyptic description for a political leader facing difficulty, but it is the phrase used by one of Tony Blair’s closest lieutenants to describe the situation he faces.

LORD HUTTON last night cleared the British Government of trying to influence his inquiry into the death of weapons expert Dr David Kelly by submitting a late evidence statement.

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair chaired the “decisive” meeting which led to the naming of Government scientist David Kelly, the Ministry of Defence’s most senior official said yesterday.

British Prime Minister Tony Blair chaired the “decisive” meeting which led to the naming of British government scientist David Kelly, the Ministry of Defence’s most senior official said today.

Top UK defence aide Sir Kevin Tebbit returned to the spotlight of the Hutton Inquiry today in a special one-off hearing.

BRITISH Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was yesterday labelled a liar and a hypocrite by the lawyer for the family of David Kelly.

British Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was today labelled a liar and a hypocrite by the lawyer for the family of David Kelly as he launched a blistering attack on the Ministry of Defence.

UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon was today labelled a liar and a hypocrite by the lawyer for the family of David Kelly as he launched a blistering attack on Britain's Ministry of Defence.

GOVERNMENT weapons expert David Kelly was given just two days warning that his name was likely to appear in the press, the inquiry into his death was told yesterday.

BBC chairman Gavyn Davies returned to the witness box at the Hutton Inquiry today for the start of the last full day of evidence.

The British prime minister’s official spokesman Tom Kelly, who described Dr David Kelly as a “Walter Mitty” character, began his second stage of evidence to the Hutton Inquiry today.

UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon admitted today that he had approved the plan to confirm the name of Government weapons expert David Kelly to journalists.

UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will today mount a second battle to save his career when he is recalled to the glare of the Hutton Inquiry spotlight.

BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan last night denied doctoring his computer notes of his meeting with the Government weapons expert David Kelly.

Reporter Andrew Gilligan was back in the hot seat today to explain a series of discrepancies in his computer notes as the full glare of the Hutton Inquiry turned on him for a third time.

Geoff Hoon was present at a meeting where Britain's Ministry of Defence’s “naming strategy” over Dr David Kelly was discussed, his head of news said today.

BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan tonight denied doctoring his computer notes of his meeting with the UK government weapons expert David Kelly.

A senior British Ministry of Defence official claims Dr David Kelly brought his public exposure upon himself.

ANDREW GILLIGAN, the reporter at the centre of the row over the British Government’s Iraq weapons dossier, misled senior BBC managers over his contacts with weapons expert David Kelly, the inquiry into the scientist’s death was told yesterday.

Beleaguered BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan was returning to the Hutton Inquiry today knowing he is already at the centre of an investigation by his bosses.

THE British Ministry of Defence was yesterday accused of playing a lethal game of “Russian roulette” with Government weapons expert David Kelly.

The first policeman to see Dr David Kelly’s body after the weapons expert’s apparent suicide was giving evidence to the Hutton Inquiry today.

Gavin Cordon

UK Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon will be called back to give evidence under cross-examination to the Hutton Inquiry next Monday.

The inquiry into the death of weapons expert David Kelly was resuming today, with BBC director general Greg Dyke giving evidence for the first time.

David Kelly was “taken aback” by the way BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan grilled him for information, the Hutton Inquiry was told today.

The Hutton Inquiry moved into the final day of its first phase today, as Tony Blair prepared to face questions about his government’s dossier on Iraqi weapons.