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Tony Blair’s spin doctor escapes Iraq inquiry's rebuke

Alastair Campbell (left) and former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair were pictured in 2001. (PA photo)

Former British Prime Minister Toby Blair’s spin doctor Alastair Campbell is reportedly set to be cleared of any wrongdoing by the Chilcot inquiry into the UK’s role in the invasion of Iraq in 2003.

Campbell will escape serious criticism by the inquiry report due on July 6, sources said on Sunday, despite having a role in compiling  the infamous “doggy dossier” that made the case for the Iraq war.

The dossier, which was based on faulty intelligence, said that former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction that could hit British targets in Cyprus within 45 minuets.

Campbell, who worked as Director of Communications and strategy for former Labour premier Blair, had reportedly a role in creating the dossier that was presented to the government and the media.

The Chilcot inquiry’s blame will therefore fall on Blair and intelligence officials.

It is reported that Campbell has not received a letter from the inquiry that sets out criticisms and offers a right of reply, unlike Blair.

Former British PM Tony Blair (AFP photo)

Campbell’s friends who worked at Blair’s government for ten years described the inquiry report as “the Campbell whitewash,” the Sunday Times reported.

A former government minister said “Campbell has not had a letter. He is in the clear.”

“He was in some ways a bit player in this. Those who were directly responsible were the heads of the agencies who allowed him to ‘sex up’ the ‘dodgy dossier’ and of course the prime minister for whom he was working,” the former minister also said.

“Press officers are not supposed to be key policymakers, even though they sometimes are,” the minister added.

The 6,000-page will be published next month following seven years of analyzing evidence about how the British government acted before the invasion of Iraq and during the war.

Earlier reports said that the Chilcot inquiry report will affect the reputation of Blair, his foreign secretary Jack Straw and former MI6 chief Richard Dearlove.

Last week, Blair hinted he could reject the findings of the inquiry if it says that he had already made the decision to invade Iraq before discussing it at the parliament.


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