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Hutton decided against recalling PM to save him from 'glaring headlines'

Lord Hutton yesterday said Tony Blair had not been summoned back for cross-examination by his inquiry because it would have been inappropriate for him to face the resulting "glaring headlines".

The retired law lord, who faced widespread accusations of pulling his punches over the Government's role in the events leading to Dr David Kelly's death, strongly defended the conduct of his inquiry. In his first public comments since the report was published, he told MPs it had been beyond his remit to extend his investigation to examine whether the intelligence used by the Government to justify war had been flawed.

He also defended his controversial decision not to recall Mr Blair for cross-examination by the Kelly family and the BBC on the basis that he had already established his role in the affair. Lord Hutton said: "If I had brought the Prime Minister back to be cross-examined, I would have considered it as simply playing to the gallery - 'Here is the man who is not afraid to bring back the Prime Minister'. I did not think it was appropriate to do that."

He added: "Various allegations would have been put to the Prime Minister with glaring headlines about them. I did not think it was appropriate to do that."

Giving evidence to the Commons Public Administration Committee, Lord Hutton said he had not been surprised by the criticism he faced. "It was not pleasant being attacked in the press but I was not shocked. I think it is inevitable in a highly political inquiry that people will assess the result from their own political outlook.

"Undoubtedly, there are very strong feelings in the country about the war in Iraq. Many people were opposed to it and I think that coloured the public reaction to the report."

He said the criticism had led him to reflect on his handling of the inquiry but was "still of the view that I was right to draw the line where I did and that was the proper way to proceed".

Lord Hutton maintained the crucial issues were the circumstances of Dr Kelly's death and the accuracy of the BBC report by Andrew Gilligan in which he alleged the Government probably knew its intelligence about Saddam Hussein was faulty. The issue of intelligence failings was beyond a judge sitting on his own, he said, and it was more appropriately examined by Lord Butler of Brockwell, who is heading a five-person investigation into the subject.

Tony Wright, the committee chairman, suggested: "When you were sitting, you were sainted, you were this fearless forensic investigator. The moment you reported, you were an establishment lackey."

Lord Hutton replied: "The duty of a judge is to decide on the issues before him without fear or favour and without having regard to the political consequences and without having regard to comments that may be made by editorial writers".

He denied reports he believed the resignations of Gavyn Davies as BBC chairman and Greg Dyke as director general, following the publication of his report had been unnecessary. He said: "I had not expressed any views about the resignations in the BBC. The BBC had to act on the criticisms that I made. I don't think it was for me to comment on the steps taken by the BBC."

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