Bilderberg.org

[TonyGosling]

Campbell branded 'abhorrent' over David Kelly 'nightmare' remarks
09.10.06
http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23370096-details/Campbell+branded+'abhorrent'+over+David+Kelly+'nightmare'+remarks/article.do


'Shabby': Alastair Campbell

Alastair Campbell was denounced as 'abhorrent' and 'shabby' after the former No 10 spindoctor described how the death of Dr David Kelly sent him spiralling into depression.

Mr Blair's mouthpiece was blamed by the weapons inspector's family for driving him to suicide, by helping to expose Dr Kelly as the source of claims that the Government 'sexed up' a dossier on Saddam Hussein's weapons of mass destruction.

In an interview published yesterday, Mr Campbell detailed his own history of depression and admitted that the death of Dr Kelly his 'worst day' in Government. He called the Hutton Report into the scientist's death a 'nightmare'.

But MPs and friends of Dr Kelly's family last night said he should have remained silent.

Mr Campbell, who had a drink-fuelled mental breakdown a decade before Tony Blair came to power, admitted that his depression continued in government.

The interview shows that his concern for Dr Kelly's fate was tempered by the effect on himself and Mr Blair as they waited to hear whether Lord Hutton would condemn the Government's behaviour.

The Kelly family sent a late submission to the Hutton Inquiry, spelling out the evidence from Mr Campbell's diary which suggested he had overseen the decision to release Dr Kelly's name to the media. It contained the phrase: 'The biggest thing needed was the source out'.

The 59-year-old father of three killed himself after the Ministry of Defence confirmed his identity to reporters shortly afterwards.

Mr Campbell said: 'I did feel if the inquiry had gone against us that it would have been grim, really bad. Part of me was thinking about that a lot. Again it was one of those episodes where things spiralled out of control.

'Let's be brutally frank: if it had gone against us, it wasn't just me who was out of a job, it was Tony. It was a phenomenal pressure. The blood they smelled was mine.

'During the whole period it was a nightmare. And also you are thinking, there's this guy for whom it's been such a nightmare he's killed himself. The day he died was without doubt the worst day. It was about the sadness that someone felt driven to do this.'

Tory MP Mike Penning condemned Mr Campbell for reopening the wounds of the Kelly affair. He said: 'Frankly most people in this country will be disturbed that Alastair Campbell has brought the issue into public again. The person he should be concerned with is Dr Kelly and his family rather than his own circumstances. I think it is pretty abhorrent that he has brought it up at all.'

Liberal Democrat MP Norman Baker, who has called for a new investigation into the circumstances of Dr Kelly's death, said: 'Alastair Campbell and the government manipulated intelligence and led the country into an illegal war and these events led to the death of Dr David Kelly.

'I really struggle to work up much sympathy for Alastair Campbell, given his record. I think it's pretty shabby for him to be talking about how depressed he felt at the time this all happened.'

Peter Jacobsen, solicitor for the Kelly family, said: 'The family have declined to make any comment.'

But another friend of the Kelly family, who lives near them in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, said his widow Janice would be upset by Mr Campbell's decision to talk again about the affair: 'I know Jan hates this kind of thing,' the friend said.

Mrs Kelly has maintained a dignified silence ever since her husband was found dead having apparently slit his wrists, in May 2003.

Despite their public silence, the Mrs Kelly and her daughters Rachel, Ellen and Sian, are thought to blame Alastair Campbell for Dr Kelly's death.

Following the publication of the Hutton Report, Mr Jacobsen issued a statement on their behalf which said: 'If their personal tragedy is not to be compounded, they urge that the Government take action to ensure that the ordeal suffered by David Kelly will never be repeated. No other person should have to suffer the pressure he experienced.'

In their submission to Lord Hutton's inquiry, the family said: 'Alastair Campbell's diary reveals that it was his desire and the desire of others, including the Secretary of State for Defence (Geoff Hoon), that the fact and identity of the source should be made public. That is exactly what occurred.'

It is not the first time that the insensitivity of people at the heart of the Government has caused hurt to the Kelly family. Tony Blair was forced to issue a humiliating apology earlier this year after it emerged that two Labour MPs has auctioned a copy of the Hutton Report signed by his own wife Cherie.

Mr Campbell has previously boasted that he has also sold signed copies of the Hutton Report for charity.

[Ismellarat]

There are far too many patterns developing here...one of them is that of this forums likely political assasinations list: https://secure.gn.apc.org/members/www.bilderberg.org/phpBB2/index.php?c=3
...they are obviously all key people which would have likely compromised the invasion of Iraq and or rallied support against it. John Smith was also a great Labour politician similar to Robin Cook. Why have these people including Diana all died? We are not seeing those who sided with the invasion of Iraq suddenly dropping dead of heart attacks or committing so-called suicide are we!

There is massive corruption and scandal amidst and all we have the power to do is just sit-back and let it happen. Shame on you government warmongers and executors of Divide and Rule.

Ian