Blair and Hutton on BBC's irresponsible coverage

In a typically eloquent and impassioned speech, Blair follows up Lord Hutton's report on the BBC's false accusations of Blair's administration "sexing up" intelligence that led to the Iraqi invasion.

Read it in full here. Here is the powerful ending, quoting Hutton on the duty of the press.


"In conclusion I repeat what Lord Hutton said in his Summary, at page 322.

'The communication by the media of information (including information obtained by investigative reporters) on matters of public interest and importance is a vital part of life in a democratic society. However the right to communicate such information is subject to the qualification (which itself exists for the benefit of a democratic society) that false accusations of fact impugning the integrity of others, including politicians, should not be made by the media.'

That is how this began: with an accusation that was false then and is false now.

We can have the debate about the war; about WMD; about intelligence. But we do not need to conduct it by accusations of lies and deceit. We can respect each other's motives and integrity even when in disagreement.

Let me repeat the words of Lord Hutton:

'False accusations of fact impugning the integrity of others ... should not be made'.

Let those that made them now withdraw them."