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Last Updated: Wednesday, 28 January, 2004, 16:45 GMT

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Timeline: Hutton report

24 September, 2002

Iraq dossier published by the government.
The dossier of intelligence material was published to highlight what Tony Blair considered the threat posed by Saddam Hussein. In the foreword, he claimed that weapons of mass destruction could be launched by Iraq within 45 minutes. In May the following year BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan was to claim that this document had been &";sexed-up&"; by Downing Street and that the 45 minutes claim was wrong.

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22 May, 2003

Kelly tells Foreign Office official Patrick Lamb that he has spoken to the BBC.

29 May, 2003

Andrew Gilligan's Today programme report is broadcast.
In his radio report Andrew Gilligan brought to light the concerns of what he said was a senior source. The source had told him that the intelligence community had not been comfortable with some of the dossier's contents, especially the 45 minute claim. On the day Downing Street denied the thrust of Mr Gilligan's story and said the dossier was entirely the work of the intelligence services.

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1 June, 2003

In the Mail on Sunday Gilligan says Alastair Campbell 'sexed up' the dossier

2 June, 2003

Newsnight broadcasts a story sourced from Dr Kelly.
Newsnight's Science Editor, Susan Watts, reported that there were problems with the 45 minute claim made in the dossier, calling it &";shaky&";. br brHer reporting was also sourced from David Kelly although her stories did not go as far as Andrew Gilligan's in pointing a finger at Alastair Campbell.

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6 June, 2003

Campbell complains to the BBC about Gilligan.
Tony Blair's communication chief challenged the BBC to stand by Andrew Gilligan's original story. In his letter to the Director of News, Richard Sambrook, Mr Campbell said that the BBC's reporting had given the impression that the government took Britain into the war in Iraq on a false basis.

17 June, 2003

Lamb tells deputy head of defence intelligence, Martin Howard, that Kelly had spoken to the BBC

19 June, 2003

Gilligan gives evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.

25 June, 2003

Campbell gives evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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26 June, 2003

Campbell writes to the BBC, backing up his apology demand

27 June, 2003

Gilligan tells the BBC's director of news the source for his story

30 June, 2003

Kelly writes to his line manager, admitting dealing with Gilligan

4 July, 2003

Kelly is warned against further contact with journalists by the MOD

7 July, 2003

Parliament clears Campbell of 'sexing up' the dossier.
After studying the issue MPs clear Alastair Campbell of including the 45 minute claim in the government's dossier. Writing in the Mail on Sunday in May Andrew Gilligan said his source believed the opposite. MPs also said that Campbell &";did not exert or seek to exert improper influence&"; on the dossier's production. Although the committee did conclude that the 45 minute claim &";did not warrant the prominence given to it&";.

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9 July, 2003

Kelly is named in the press as Gilligan's source.
When asked, the Ministry of Defence press office confirmed David Kelly's name as the source of Andrew Gilligan's stories to a few print journalists. This proved to be a crucial turn of events. Once Dr Kelly's name was out, he was caught up in a very intense row between the government and the BBC. How his name became known is key to the Hutton Inquiry.

15 July, 2003

Kelly appears before the Foreign Affairs Committee.

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16 July, 2003

Kelly gives evidence to the Intelligence and Security Committee

17 July, 2003

Kelly goes missing and is later found dead.
At 1520 BST Dr Kelly set off for a walk near his Oxfordshire home. When he did not return his wife called the police at 2340 BST. The search continued through the night but Dr Kelly's body was not found until the following day. It was presumed that his death was suicide after cuts to his wrist were discovered. Tony Blair announced that a public inquiry would be held into his death.

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19 July, 2003

A post-mortem on Kelly is released

20 July, 2003

The BBC publicly acknowledges that Kelly was Gilligan's source.

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1 August, 2003

Lord Hutton's inquiry investigating Kelly's death officially opens.

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11 August, 2003

The Hutton Inquiry starts taking evidence, Gilligan appears on day two.
During the first week of evidence Dr Kelly's role in the production of the dossier (he worked on the historical aspects of the paper and advised on other parts) was set out. BBC reporters Andrew Gilligan, Susan Watts and Gavin Hewitt all attended the inquiry. Andrew Gilligan admitted that his reporting was &";not perfect&";.

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19 August, 2003

The second week of evidence includes Alastair Campbell.
Week two was dominated by evidence from journalists and press officers. Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair's communications chief, attended the inquiry and denied that he had anything to do with adding the 45 minutes claim to the dossier. Journalists from the Guardian, the Observer and the Times also told of their dealings with Dr Kelly.

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28 August, 2003

Tony Blair is the main witness for week three.
The prime minister's appearance was the main headline from the third week of the inquiry. He took full responsibility for the decisions taken in relation to David Kelly. Defence Secretary Geoff Hoon claimed to know little about his department's role in the affair. The BBC Chairman Gavyn Davies also appeared, and admitted that he was unaware of Andrew Gilligan's editor's opinion that Mr Gilligan's 45 minute claim report had been flawed.

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1 September, 2003

The Kelly family appear at the inquiry in week four.
Dr Kelly's wife, Janice, appeared at the beginning of the week. She was followed by her daughter, Rachel. Their testimony painted in detail the stress that Dr Kelly was under once his name was connected with Andrew Gilligan's story. Later in the week a former intelligence analyst shone more light on the dossier's production. Brian Jones told the inquiry that in his opinion the dossier had been &";over-egged&"; in certain respects.

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4 September, 2003

Part one of the inquiry closes

15 September, 2003

The Inquiry re-opens.
The inquiry re-opens with both Andrew Gilligan and the BBC director general Greg Dyke giving evidence. On Monday Mr Dyke called Alastair Campbell's attacks on the BBC &";unprecedented&";. But he also called Andrew Gilligan's e-mail leaking Dr Kelly's name to MPs &";unacceptable&";. Appearing for the second time two days later Mr Gilligan admitted making mistakes with his story. He put it down to &";a slip of the tongue&"; during a live broadcast.

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22 September, 2003

Campbell and Hoon return.
Alastair Campbell and Geoff Hoon testify to the inquiry on the same day. The defence secretary insisted that there wasn't &";the slightest shred of evidence&"; that the government had deliberately leaked Dr Kelly's name. While the out-going government communications chief had extracts from his diary published. They showed how he believed that the naming of Dr Kelly would place Andrew Gilligan in a very difficult position.

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25 September, 2003

The inquiry closes.
The inquiry closes with Lord Hutton saying his report would be published by December. Statements from the legal representatives of the government, the BBC, Andrew Gilligan and the Kelly family were all heard. The Kelly family QC said the weapons expert had been used by the government &";as a pawn in their political battle with the BBC&";. The government QC argued it was &";completely unjustified&"; to criticise the government for trying to reveal Dr Kelly's name.

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28 January, 2004

Lord Hutton delivers his report
Lord Hutton delivers his longawaited report into the death of the government weapons expert Dr David Kelly. In it he criticises BBC journalist Andrew Gilligan for reporting "unfounded" allegations against the government.

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29 January, 2004

Greg Dyke resigns as director general
The director general became the second high profile casualty at the BBC in the wake of the publication of Lord Hutton's critical report. He was replaced by Mark Byford on a temporary basis. Mr Dyke said that he hoped his resignation would draw a line under the affair.

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