Blair urged to sack aide over ‘Walter Mitty’ slur on Kelly

BRITISH Prime Minister Tony Blair last night faced calls to sack the Downing Street spokesman who suggested Dr David Kelly may have been a “Walter Mitty” character.

Tom Kelly denied attempting to smear the dead scientist the prime source for BBC claims that intelligence on Iraq was "sexed up".

But he admitted that speaking to a journalist about the case was a "mistake" and apologised "unreservedly" to Dr Kelly's family.

Mr Kelly's remarks, which come ahead of the weapons expert's funeral today, sparked fury among his family and friends.

One, Professor Alastair Hay, called them "heartless in the extreme".

"This is a time of great trauma for the Kelly family and the comments should never have been made," he said.

"I'm very surprised by the whole thing. It's deeply shaming."

Former Labour minister Glenda Jackson called the apology "insufficient" and said the spokesman must go.

"No 10's capacity to disgust us would seem positively boundless," she said.

"We are in a situation where a man has lost his life, his family has been deprived of a husband and father and it would seem that No 10 is determined to take away his reputation. They are unspeakable."

She added of Mr Kelly: "I don't think he should be afforded the luxury of resigning I think he should be sacked."

Former UN weapons inspector Dr Kelly apparently slashed his wrist at a beauty spot after being outed as a mole during the furious battle between Downing Street and the BBC.

Mr Blair called for "respect and restraint" while an inquiry headed by Lord Hutton investigated his death.

But an anonymous senior official at No 10 was quoted in The Independent comparing Dr Kelly to the fictional fantasist.

"This guy was a Walter Mitty," the source told the paper.

Mr Kelly confirmed he used the term in what he called a private conversation.

The spokesman insisted he was just outlining issues the Hutton inquiry would have to address.

"It was meant as one of several questions facing all parties, not as a definitive statement of my view, or that of the Government," he said in a statement issued by No 10. "We were discussing questions, not answers.

"I now recognise that even that limited form of communication was a mistake, given the current climate.

"I, therefore, unreservedly apologise to Dr Kelly's widow and her family for having intruded on their grief."

Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott, who heads the Government while Mr Blair is on holiday, has written to Dr Kelly's widow Janice adding his apologies to those from Mr Kelly.

Mr Prescott moved swiftly to distance the Government from the controversy yesterday, saying he did not believe "these unsubstantiated remarks about Dr Kelly".