Davies Resigns Following Hutton Report Criticisms

BBC chairman, Gavyn Davies, yesterday resigned following the critical conclusions of Lord Hutton’s inquiry into the death of Ministry of Defence weapons advisor Dr David Kelly.

Lord Hutton yesterday unveiled a report that was heavily critical of the way the BBC handled developments following a story on Radio 4’s Today programme, which claimed that the Government had ‘sexed up’ a dossier making the case for an invasion of Iraq.

Hutton concluded that the story’s allegations were ‘unfounded’. He also criticised ‘defective’ editorial processes surrounding the original Today broadcast by the BBC’s defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan.

Taking responsibility for Lord Hutton’s criticisms, Davies said that those in charge of a publicly funded organisation should accept responsibility for what happens inside that organisation.

He said in a statement to the BBC Board of Governors: “There is an honourable tradition in British public life that those charged with authority at the top of an organisation should accept responsibility for what happens in that organisation.”

Davies will now write to the prime minister to tender his resignation with immediate effect after the board of Governors said they accepted his decision to step down with great reluctance and regret.

BBC: 020 8743 8000 www.bbc.co.uk

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