Blair spokesman denies Kelly smear claim

A DOWNING STREET official who described British Government weapons expert David Kelly as a “Walter Mitty” character denied yesterday his comments were part of a smear campaign against the scientist.

Tom Kelly, one of the Prime Minister’s spokesmen, told the Hutton Inquiry there had been no “malicious” intent in his remark to a journalist following Dr Kelly’s death. But the inquiry heard evidence that one of Tony Blair’s closest aides, Number 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell, described Dr Kelly as a “rogue element”.

The inquiry is investigating how Dr Kelly apparently came to take his own life after being identified as the source of a BBC story claiming the Government had “sexed up” its Iraq weapons dossier to strengthen the case for war.

At his second appearance before the inquiry, Mr Kelly was pressed by counsel for the Kelly family, Jeremy Gompertz QC, who demanded to know whether they had been part of a deliberate Government campaign to “belittle, demean or slur” Dr Kelly.

Mr Kelly replied: “I was not aware of any strategy to do so and I was not part of any strategy to do so.”

Asked by Mr Gompertz if Dr Kelly was regarded in Number 10 as a “rogue element”, Mr Kelly replied: “Categorically not”.

Mr Kelly, who repeated his public apology to the Kelly family, said he had never intended his “Walter Mitty” comment about the scientist to become public. It was made during what he thought had been a private conversation with Mr Waugh.

Mr Gompertz also asked him about the diary entry of Number 10 communications chief Alastair Campbell for July 9 which said: “Biggest thing that was needed was the source out.”

The QC suggested it all pointed to “a strategy to reveal Dr Kelly’s name without appearing to do so”.

Mr Kelly again replied: “Categorically not.”