Davies: I made simple error, says Campbell

TONY BLAIR'S Press Secretary today admitted he had made errors in his handling of the resignation of Ron Davies from the Cabinet but said he did not willingly seek to deceive, writes David Shaw.

Alastair Campbell moved to repair damage done by No10's handling last week of the Davies affair amid suggestions he did not reveal the full picture.

Mr Campbell says he gave journalists information "in good faith" and even now does not know the full background to the Welsh Secretary's departure. Downing Street strongly denied a cover-up but in a letter to The Times, Mr Campbell says he made a "simple error" in briefing journalists after Mr Davies's resignation. He did not know Scotland Yard Deputy Commissioner John Stevens was "coincidentally at the Home Office" at the time and had been "put on the line" to No 10 to brief a senior official about the incident. He had denied there had been direct contact between No10 and the police because he was unaware of it. He said: "That is a simple error," and added: "It is difficult to be omniscient had I been aware of the call, there would have been no reason not to divulge it."

Copyright 1998
Provided by ProQuest Information and Learning Company. All rights Reserved.