An Oasis

Politics should not be life or death.

The sad death of Dr. Kelly, the government adviser implicated in the spat between the Government and the BBC over a claim by Andrew Gilligan that the government 'sexed-up' the September dossier, serves as a wake up call to all in the media and government. The cause of his death is as yet unknown but it seems clear that emerging into the midst of agitated controversy is likely to have been a contributing factor.

Apportioning blame is pointless, nobody could have forseen the outcome. That his death is already seen by some as a party political point to be scored is a sickening reflection of the depravity of realpolitik in this country.

I believe that a journalist may keep schtum to protect his sources, himself or in fact for any reason conceivable just as a government has a right to reply to allegations made by the BBC, any news organisation, any organisation or person. It is the very spirit of freedom of expression that enables a healthy discourse on topics wide and ranging, important or seemingly not.

The BBC is entitled, indeed required, to live up to its editorial commitments of providing "comprhensive, authoritative and impartial coverage of news and current affairs in the United Kingdom and throughout the world to support fair and informed debate at local, regional and national levels." Was Andrew Gilligan's report consistent with this in the context where it was originally delivered? It is impossible to know from where Gilligan drew the allegation, whether Dr. Kelly or another source or sources. Unless he provides the story's lineage then we are unable to guess as to its authority.

The Government challenged his report and the Ministry of Defence put forward Dr. Kelly to answer questions as to what he had told Gilligan, seeking to determine whether the source was Dr. Kelly. Gilligan and the BBC declined to confirm or deny the identity of the source and the Select Committee embarked on another round of dithering to make another widely ignored determination.

A government obsessed with spin? A BBC so fiercely independent is must also be seen to be fiercely independent? This is democracy, that is what happens. If Alastair Campbell or any other actor in this tragedy felt or feels defamed they should seek recourse through the law. The law provides one way to reach a balanced verdict but we live in a media oriented society and to seek to make one's case through the media is also now a necessary route to win or lose the popular verdict, particularly when the allegation is from a media personality.

Thats what it comes down to though. Personalities. David Kelly, Andrew Gilligan, Tony Blair, Alastair Campbell. All people, individuals with families and responsibilities, ideas and ambitions. Politics engenders passionate debate but isn't it time to work toward a society (which the media and government can aspire to reflect) endowed with a little more balance, common sense, an appreciation of individuals as individuals not superheroes and a little less vitriol. A society where that debate can resemble a mature one?

Posted by Paul at July 19, 2003 03:26 AM |