[link|http://media.guardian.co.uk/huttoninquiry/story/0,13812,1028630,00.html|Even the BBC finds him an embarrassment]

Excerpt:

Andrew Gilligan, the BBC correspondent at the centre of the storm over allegations that the Government 'sexed up' intelligence to make a stronger case for war against Iraq, has been removed from reporting duties.

Gilligan has been told to spend all his time preparing for a possible recall before the Hutton inquiry into the death of Dr David Kelly, the Government scientist unmasked as the source of the radio man's claims that Downing Street tried to hype intelligence material despite opposition from the intelligence services.

BBC executives denied that Gilligan's departure from day-to-day reporting on the Radio 4 Today programme was linked to revelations last week that he sent emails to two MPs on the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Select Committee suggesting questions they could ask Kelly that would be 'devastating' for the Government.

Gilligan, the programme's defence correspondent, did not refer to the emails during his own evidence to Hutton two weeks ago, and they were not submitted as part of the BBC's evidence, despite Hutton's demand that all relevant documents should be handed over.

The inquiry has now asked the BBC to account for the omission. The corporation is likely to launch its own internal inquiry once Hutton has completed his report.

I say:

Journalist? Activist? Political consultant? What's in a name?