The Beeb is standing firm on its Iraq war coverage, despite "unprecedented" pressure from Downing Street:

BBC defence correspondent Andrew Gilligan reported last month that a senior British intelligence official had told him that the government's first dossier on Iraq's weapons programme, published last September, had been "sexed up" at Downing Street's request.

In particular, the official claimed that Downing Street had asked for extra prominence to be given to the suggestion Iraq could launch a chemical or biological strike within 45 minutes of an order.

During his grilling by members of the Commons foreign affairs select committee on Wednesday, Mr Campbell insisted intelligence agencies made the 45 minute reference and said claims he had hyped it up were a "lie".

But Labour MP Brian Donohoe, who was persuaded not to vote against the war, said the attack on the BBC was a "diversion" from the main issue.

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