When he applied to succeed Peter Mandelson as the Labour Party's director of communications in 1990, he was turned down.Despite his reputation as a man who likes journalists and is more polite to journalists than Mr Campbell, it was actually an intemperate attack on an eminent member of the profession that helped him to recover his political position after that setback.Interviewed for the post of communications director when it fell vacant again in 1991, Mr Hill was asked by one member of the interviewing panel for his opinion of a column written by none other than Alan Watkins, now of The Independent on Sunday, who had penned some uncomplimentary words about the state of the Labour Party.With uncharacteristic bile, Mr Hill snapped that "Alan Watkins is an absolute idiot". With this, he heard the familiar Welsh voice of Neil Kinnock muttering: "He's just got the job." Mr Hill had at last found a way to earn the trust of what is now known as New Labour.. Seven of Britain's largest aid and environmental charities have accused ministers of ignoring the world's poorest and weakest nations by failing to overhaul the World Trade Organisation. The final week of the first stage of the Hutton inquiry begins tomorrow with potentially devastating evidence from David Kelly's widow, Janice.
Mrs Kelly's appear-ance will introduce a potent human dimensionto the inquiry.The haze over how Dr Kelly really felt about his treatment will be lifted, and the fact that a family has been robbed of a husband and father will be brought centre stage. The image of the frail Mrs Kelly is likely to be one of the most enduring of the inquiry.The inquiry will throw up a few surprises this week. On Wednesday so far unnamed Defence Intelligence staff will give evidence. It is known that some staff had reservations about the wording of the 45-minute claim.On Thursday the inquiry will be adjourned for a week, resuming on 15 September. It is then scheduled to sit until 25 September, when Lord Hutton will adjourn to write his report.. You have to hand it to Jeffrey Archer.
Just weeks after being released from prison, the disgraced peer, convicted perjurer and serial adulterer is to top the bill at a conference about .. prison reform You have to hand it to Jeffrey Archer. prison reform. The Howard League for Penal Reform believes that Lord Archer will have a useful contribution to make on the subjects of drug abuse and illiteracy in prisons as a speaker at its conference next month. Paul Goggins, minister for prisons and probation, evidently does not share this view of the noble lord's chutzpah. He has suddenly found himself otherwise engaged and has backed out of sharing a platform with the millionaire.Lord Archer's credibility as a serious prison reformer would have been enhanced by appearing on the same stage as the minister.
But the Home Office confirmed last week that Mr Goggins was no longer able to attend the two-day event, called "After Crime", at New College, Oxford, because of parliamentary commitments."Mr Goggins did initially accept the request but he can't attend now because he is required at the committee stage of the Sex Offences Bill on which he is lead minister," said a spokesman.The Howard League confirmed they had received a last-minute letter from Mr Goggins apologising for not being able to attend. They said they had not asked the Home Office to supply a replacement at the conference, where speakers include top lawyers, police officers, academics and prison reformers."We received a note saying he was very sorry," said a spokeswoman. "I hope this is not because of Jeffrey Archer - that would be childish and I would like to think ministers are more grown up than that. Anyway, we still have lots of interesting people coming."Lord Archer was released from prison last month after serving two years of a four-year sentence for perjury arising out of a 1987 libel action against the Daily Star in which he won £500,000.. The Hutton inquiry into the circumstances of Dr David Kelly's death has shone light into many corners of Britain's political life and in particular how Downing Street operates. But crucial questions have also been raised about the decision to go to war in Iraq and the means used to persuade the public that Saddam Hussein's regime posed a threat, as well as the treatment of Dr Kelly when he broke ranks Many have yet to be answered. Many have yet to be answered. What was the purpose of the September 2002 dossier on Iraq's weapons of mass destruction?Alastair Campbell, who has just resigned as No 10's director of communications, said a proposed dossier in the spring of 2002 was cancelled because it would "ramp up" expectations of a conflict.
