Hutton Inquiry set to grill Blair spin doctor Campbell

DOWNING Street communications chief Alastair Campbell is to give evidence next week to the inquiry investigating the death of Government weapons scientist David Kelly, it was announced yesterday.

Mr Campbell, who is expected to face questions over a BBC report claiming that he was responsible for having “sexed up” the British Government’s dossier on Iraqi weapons, will appear before the inquiry on Tuesday. He will be followed on Wednesday by Prime Minister Tony Blair’s official spokesman Tom Kelly, who described Dr Kelly as a “Walter Mitty” style fantasist.

Other witnesses appearing next week will include the No 10 chief of staff Jonathan Powell, the Prime Minister’s foreign affairs adviser Sir David Manning and Mr Kelly's fellow prime ministerial spokesman Godric Smith. Sir Kevin Tebbit, the permanent under secretary at the Ministry of Defence, and the MoD’s director of news Pam Teare will also be giving evidence.