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| You are staring at: Home > News | 19th March |
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 MPs clear BBC in Iraq dossier row 7 Jul 2003 MPs have cleared the BBC of misrepresenting the accuracy of the government's intelligence dossiers in the build-up to the war in Iraq. The BBC had been accused of "sexing up" its reporting of the first dossier, published in September, saying that it contained inaccurate information and had been altered to make a more convincing case for war. In addition to this, it was alleged that the BBC's reporting of the so-called "Dodgy Dossier", published in February, was overly sceptical. However, today's report by the Foreign Affairs Select Committee has exonerated the BBC of all charges. "The BBC gave undue prominence to the reporting of the faults of the September dossier," it stated. "There is no question that the 45-minute claim is utter rubbish, but there were other news stories going on as well. The BBC should have covered these in more detail as well." Of the February dossier, the report gave the verdict that the BBC did not mislead the public. "The February dossier was, to coin a phrase, a complete Horlicks," Chairman Donald Anderson said, announcing the report. "It was completely counter-productive. The BBC did not mislead the public over this fact – it was completely right to be sceptical about it. It is hard to overestimate the cock-up the government made with this dossier." Turning to the row between government Communications Director Alistair Campbell and the BBC, one member of the committee dismissed it as "a sideshow". Sir John Stanley called it a distraction from the main issue and suggested it be resolved by tossing a coin or a charity boxing match. All sides of the row have claimed victory following today's report. Alistair Campbell said that there "can be no dispute" that he had done nothing wrong; the BBC said its reporting had been vindicated; Jack Straw said it was a victory for the government and again called on the BBC to apologise; and the alleged Conservative leader, Iain "Duncan" Smith, insisted that he was completely in the clear, despite not having a role of any kind. Instead, he demanded an independent enquiry and his face on the television. The BBC has meanwhile launched a stinging counter-attack about the government's own dissemination of information about the war. Speaking in a BBC interview, the Corporation's Director of News, Richard Sambrook, said that the government had "a distinct and unacceptable anti-Iraq bias" in all of its briefings. The government has yet to comment. Related articles Baghdad cat gets stuck up tree 11 Apr 2007
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Hoon asks Iraqis not to shoot back22 Oct 2004
Comical Ali implicated in Allawi speech24 Sep 2004
Exclusive: Tape casts doubt on Bush's "no torture" claims24 Jun 2004
Bush declassifies personal shopping list, proves did not order torture23 Jun 2004
MoD considers adequate equipment supply for British troops8 Jun 2004
New Iraq puppet government: Sooty in charge2 Jun 2004
UK troop deployment not related to election; Pope's religion questioned30 May 2004
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One week on: Top 10 options for Saddam22 Dec 2003 Bush hails downfall of Sauron, asks for UN aid for Mordor reconstruction 15 Dec 2003 Bush: Ever noticed how all evil people have beards? 14 Dec 2003 17:53 Tony Blair's reaction to Saddam Hussein's capture 14 Dec 2003 14:46 Coalition: Saddam captured, will never buy weapons from us again 14 Dec 2003 Bush, Rumsfeld in Halloween video campaign for Iraqi war effort 30 Oct 2003 Bush appeals directly to Europeans for Iraq aid 16 Oct 2003 Bush upset over Nobel Peace Prize, promises "decisive action" 10 Oct 2003 Guantanamo Bay interpreters suspected of Comical Ali influence 7 Oct 2003 White House sacks Bush speechwriters after poor UN performance 24 Sep 2003 Branson considering Iraq bid 22 Sep 2003 In Brief: Leaders find common ground in Iraq talks 20 Sep 2003 Cheney look-alike blames Saddam Hussein™ for everything 17 Sep 2003 US seeks alternative financing for its occupation of Iraq 5 Sep 2003 US finds planes, battleships, soldiers buried in Iraqi desert 2 August 2003 Bush and officials to take turns accepting blame for bogus uranium claim 31 July 2003 Comical Ali: Blair's son is dead 29 Jul 2003 Liberation of Iraq to be re-enacted for Crimewatch 25 Jul 2003 Comical Ali: Saddam's sons are not dead 23 Jul 2003 Blair's forged Iraq documents may have been forged forgeries 21 Jul 2003 Satire site found guilty of fabricating war report 21 Jul 2003 Pentagon: OK, so maybe the Iraqis had a cloaking device 18 Jul 2003 Parliament approves hunting for WMD with hounds 16 Jul 2003 Saddam Hussein™ offers $10 million reward for Cheney 10 Jul 2003 MPs clear BBC in Iraq dossier row 7 Jul 2003 U.S. prepares ground for more liberations 6 Jul 2003 Saddam Hussein to feature in next Harry Potter novel 27 Jun 2003 Bush and Rumsfeld in card game spat 25 Jun 2003 Rumsfeld outraged at Satirists' Guild, threatens "forceful action" 23 Jun 2003 Satirists Guild calls for halt on WMD stories 22 Jun 2003 New fabricated intelligence dossier proves everything 20 Jun 2003 Greenstock appointed to Iraq post; rest of world couldn't care less 19 Jun 2003
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