Ministry Of No Defence
‘THE odds that the death of Dr David Kelly and the ensuing Hutton Inquiry will account for the political neck of Tony Blair are lengthening by the day.
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| The widow’s pique |
What was once the BBC versus Number 10 now firmly embraces the Ministry of Defence.
Of course, as Kellys employer the MoD was always involved, but the doctors widow has just promoted its importance in the affair.
Speaking to the Inquiry, Janice Kelly is heard by the Telegraph saying how her husband had felt totally let down and betrayed by the mob at the MoD.
She claims that he had received assurances from his line manager and others more senior to him that his name would not be released into the public domain.
For what by all accounts was a bright and able man, this is a fatally naïve position to take.
In an era when we know what colour Cherie Blairs knickers are (its Tuesday, so its the zebra print) and how many cars John Prescott owns, retaining anonymity in the teeth of a political storm was always going to be hard.
The story goes that the attention heaped upon him took Kelly by surprise, ate him up and led to his apparent suicide.
Its a grim story that the Guardian picks over at length, repeating much of the evidence given by Janice yesterday.
We hear how Rupert Murdoch apparently made overtures to the pair, offering via a minion to put them up in a hotel away from the spotlight in return for an article from Dr Kelly.
We also learn that on the night of that alleged offer the Kellys were in their garden drinking coffee. Its the preferred drink in the Kelly household, given that it is mentioned one more time, just after Janice has watered the plants.
We also learn that July 15, 2003, was the couples 36th wedding anniversary; how his walks usually lasted 25 minutes although his final one took him away for considerably longer; and how on that final walk he wore jeans.
Whether this high level of excitement and sensation can be maintained only time will tell. But Tony must be a far from worried man…’
Posted: 2nd, September 2003 | In: Broadsheets Comment | TrackBack | Permalink
