Campbell 'wanted to leak Kelly'

Alastair Campbell considered secretly briefing a newspaper that the possible source of the BBC's story on the Government's Iraq weapons dossier had been uncovered.

The inquiry into the death of Government weapons expert Dr David Kelly heard that Mr Campbell - the Downing Street communications chief - had considered leaking the fact that the scientist had come forward without naming him.

Godric Smith, the Prime Minister's official spokesman and Mr Campbell's deputy, told the inquiry that he had dissuaded Mr Campbell from going ahead with the plan warning it was a "bad idea".

The inquiry, headed by Lord Hutton, is investigating how Dr Kelly apparently came to take his own life after being identified as the source of the BBC story claiming the Government had "sexed up" the dossier to strengthen the case for war.

Earlier, the most senior civil servant at the Ministry of Defence, Sir Kevin Tebbit, described how both Tony Blair and Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon had been anxious to reveal publicly that Dr Kelly had come forward in the hope that he could finally refute the BBC's report.

Mr Smith described how he had walked into Mr Campbell's office in No 10 at around 6pm on Monday July 7 - the week after Dr Kelly admitted to MoD officials that he had met BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan - to find him talking on the speaker-phone to Mr Hoon.

"Alastair floated the idea that the news that an individual had come forward who could be the possible source be given that evening to one paper," Mr Smith said.

Mr Hoon had replied that he would "see where things stood".

Mr Smith said he thought Mr Campbell had been concerned that Mr Blair had been due to give evidence the next day to the Commons liaison committee and could be put in a "difficult position" if the subject came up.

However, after Mr Campbell left the office, Mr Smith said that he had discussed the plan with the other Prime Ministerial spokesman Tom Kelly, who had agreed that it was not a good idea.

Most watched News videos