Journalist Gilligan quits BBC over Hutton

JOURNALIST Andrew Gilligan, whose Today programme report sparked the Hutton Inquiry, resigned from the BBC last night.

Mr Gilligan conceded that some of his story on the intelligence dossier about Iraq weapons of mass destruction before the war, was wrong, adding: "I again apologise for it. My departure is at my own initiative. But the BBC collectively has been the victim of a grave injustice."

He said he had not been forced to resign but was quitting to protect the institution he loved. In the lengthy statement, Mr Gilligan said: "I love the BBC and I am resigning because I want to protect it. I accept my part in the crisis which has befallen the organisation. But a greater part has been played by the unbalanced judgments of Lord Hutton."

He insisted the Government had 'sexed up' its dossier despite Lord Hutton's finding it had not.

And he paid tribute to ex-director general Greg Dyke who he described as the finest director general for a generation who should not have quit.

His resignation follows the top-level departures of director-general Greg Dyke and chairman Gavyn Davies.

The BBC released a short statement which read: "We can confirm Andrew Gilligan has resigned. We recognise it is a very difficult time for him."

His departure comes despite Mr Gilligan's earlier insistence that he wanted to continue in his job.

His union, the National Union of Journalists, had backed him and promised to fight any attempts to force him out.

But he was under mounting pressure following Lord Hutton's findings that his claims that the Government had 'sexed up' its dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction were unfounded.

The Hutton report, published on Wednesday, also attacked the BBC's management and editorial systems, while clearing ministers from Tony Blair down of any impropriety.

Lord Hutton said Dr Kelly killed himself after being outed as Mr Gilligan's source. In his statement, Mr Gilligan said he had admitted he had made mistakes and deserved criticism.

But he said the Hutton Report was too harsh on him and the BBC as a whole.

"The report imposed on the BBC a punishment far out of proportion to its or my mistakes, which were honest ones," he said.

If the law lord had considered the evidence fairly he would have concluded most of Mr Gilligan's report was right, he said.

He paid tribute to Dr Kelly and said Lord Hutton's report had "cast a chill" over all journalism. It would hold journalists up to a much higher standard than the government.

Downing Street declined to comment on Mr Gilligan's announcement.

Former BBC reporter Martin Bell said Mr Gilligan had resigned, "with honour" after breaking an old fashioned scoop that was "imprecisely worded".

"I think he can resign with honour. I would not say he is totally vindicated.

"I agree absolutely. With every day that passes we realise how inadequate was the intelligence offered as a reason for going to war.

"We know as he suggested there was serious disquiet about it from people inside the intelligence community," said Mr Bell.