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Campbell to be the fall guy?
9th June 2003
 he storm over Iraqi weapons was centred on Alastair
Campbell last night.
The political future of Tony Blair's closest lieutenant was in
serious doubt as he came under attack from Labour heavyweights
inside and outside the Cabinet.
Downing Street's Director of Communications and Strategy was
condemned by both David Blunkett and Robin Cook over the 'dodgy
dossier' on Saddam Hussein he produced in February.
The
document, supposedly detailing how the Iraqi dictator was hiding his
weapons programmes, was intended to be a key part of a propaganda
blitz to win public support for war. But it soon emerged it had been
copied from a student thesis and magazine articles.
Now Mr Campbell could pay a heavy price. The Iraq row is
undermining Mr Blair's reputation and there is speculation at
Westminster that Mr Campbell may become the 'fall guy', sacrificed
to protect his boss.
'Absurd political story'
Mr Blunkett declared yesterday that the spin doctor should never
have published the dossier in the first place. He said it had turned
into 'the most absurd political story in the whole of my lifetime'.
Mr Cook, the former Foreign Secretary, said: 'Intelligence is
there to guide policy-making. Intelligence is not supposed to be
there for propaganda purposes.'
Mr Campbell has already apologised to the head of MI6 over the
dossier, it emerged yesterday. But the news only underlined the
fragility of his position.
He is likely to be hauled before two powerful Parliamentary
committees investigating the whole issue of weapons of mass
destruction.
Both Mr Campbell and Mr Blair could be called to give evidence to
the Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee and the Intelligence
and Security Committee.
Despite his hugely-influential role at the heart of Government,
Mr Campbell has only once given evidence to such an inquiry.
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