4 July 2003

Spoke to (Geoff) Hoon who said that a man who had come forward who felt he was possibly Gilligan's source, and was being interviewed today.

GH said his initial instinct was to throw the book at him, but in fact there was a case for trying to get some kind of plea bargain.

Says that he'd come forward and he was saying yes to speak to AG (Andrew Gilligan), yes he said intel(ligence) went in late, but he never said the other stuff.

It was double-edged but GH and I agreed it would fuck Gilligan if that was his source. He said he was an expert rather than a spy or full time MoD official.

6 July 2003

Spent much of the weekend talking to TB (Tony Blair) and GH re source...

GH, like me, wanted to get it out that the source had broken cover to claim that AG misrepresented him. TB and I had a long chat about it and TB was worried that we (TB or GH) ought to tell FAC (Foreign Affairs Committee) about it. His worry was that it could lead to them re-opening the inquiry.

I wanted, and GH did, to get it to the BBC governors that we may know who the source was, that he was not a spy, not involved in the WMD dossier and was a WMD expert who advised departments.

TB was fine about that but backed off after speaking to (Sir David) Omand (Cabinet Office intelligence co-ordinator) who felt the guy had to be treated properly and interviewed again. GH and I felt we were missing a trick....

GH said he was almost as steamed up as I was. TB said he didn't want to push the system too far. But my worry was that I wanted a clear win not a messy draw and if they presented it as a draw that was not good enough for us.

7 July 2003

Then round with JS (Jack Straw), John S (Scarlett) to see TB who was meeting Kevin Tebbit (MoD permanent secretary), Omand and others about re "the source"...

Kevin said the guy claimed he never mentioned me, he was a bit of a show-off though. Felt that maybe Gilligan just lied about the stuff about me. It was agreed he should be interviewed again... TB was keen for the officials (KT and DO) to be in control of the process.

Several chats with MoD, Pam Teare (director of news), then Geoff H re the source. Felt we should get it out through the papers, then have line to respond and let TB take it on at Liaison Committee. TB felt we had to leave it to Omand/Tebbit judgement and they didn't want to do it. Had to go for natural justice....

8 July 2003

Tebbit took it (letter from Hoon to BBC chairman Gavyn Davies) away to MoD and head to clear it with David Kelly who was on a motorway.

9 July 2003