Clare Short: The corrosion of integrity at Labour's heart

http://argument.independent.co.uk/commentators/story.jsp?story=440932

In the past 10 days we have seen a set of milestones. Alastair Campbell resigned. Mrs Kelly gave us the human face of the tragedy of Dr Kelly. And senior representatives of Defence Intelligence told us that the dossier was "over egged" and that "the spin merchants" had too big a role.

In my view, all these events are related. They reflect the disease that has corroded the integrity of the Blair government. We have a Prime Minister so focused on presentation that there is inadequate consideration of the merits of policy. At the same time, there has been a massive centralisation of power into No 10. And beneath the smiling demeanour, a ruthlessness that is accompanied by a lack of respect for proper procedure, and a willingness to be "economical with the actuality".

The Prime Minister has told us that the claim that he had knowingly exaggerated the threat from Iraqi chemical and biological weapons would be a resignation issue. It is now clear that the threat was exaggerated. And that John Scarlett - Campbell's fig leaf - had gone native with the No 10 entourage. If he did not know members of the intelligence service were unhappy with the dossier, then he wasn't doing his job adequately.

All of this came before we were misled on the promised second UN resolution. And on top of this, there is the total negligence of failing to prepare for the inevitability of a speedy military victory. Many, many lives have been lost and are being lost in Iraq because of this incompetence.

This sorry tale shames my party, Government and country.