Declan Fox wrote:
> I take it from the silence on Hutton that most of you are as
> gobsmacked as I by the honourable's "conclusions" and the reactions
> of HMG and BBC to them.
No, but the varied reactions prove people will believe whatever they want to
believe.
When the inquiry was set up, critics of HMG were delighted. They've changed
their tune now they don't like the findings.
I am disappointed that resignations have resulted and would prefer that
people could acknowledge their mistakes and undertake to learn from them but
carry on when 99% of their work isn't at issue (the no-blame culture clearly
still has some way to go), but the resignations were probably inevitable due
to the way BBC seniors badly misjudged the situation and chose to raise the
stakes after the initial mistake. Aggressively accusing HMG and particularly
the PM and his office of deliberate deception when you don't have very good
evidence is normally the ploy of an opposition or satirical magazine rather
than that of the national broadcasting company. In reality I suspect key
figures in the BBC were motivated by an opportunity, as they saw it, to
restate to the public their credentials as 'independant defenders of the
truth' by 'facing off' against HMG, rather than by any 'political' motives
but they chose a case to fight on that was simply too weak. I am
disappointed by the reaction of BBC staff today in walking out, which only
reinforces the perception that there is an element in the BBC who want to
play power games with HMG. I think the BBC generally do a very good job on
current affairs but want them to be independant reporters rather than a
player in political power games.
There is still the separate issue of the quality of information available to
HMG leading up to decisions, which Hutton's report has not addressed. I
think this will continue to cause concern relating to several incidents in
recent years, not only the Iraq invasion. I have read and heard a lot of
interesting comment on this and certainly have an impression that Western
'intelligence' services have lost some of their potential due to reduced
engagement with people from the widest range of cultures, religions and
countries.
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