Foreign Secretary David Miliband has published an early draft of the UK’s infamous dossier on Saddam Hussein’s weapons of mass destruction.

The document, by Foreign Office press chief John Williams, was an unpublished draft of the dossier which was unveiled by Tony Blair on 24 September 2002.

The Foreign Office failed in its appeal against the Information Commissioner’s order that it should release the draft.

It had said publishing it could inhibit the “effective conduct of government”.

Weapons expert Dr David Kelly was found dead shortly after being named as the source of a BBC report suggesting the dossier was “sexed up” shortly before publication.

Balance of disclosure

Dr Kelly cited the example of the claim that Saddam Hussein had weapons of mass destruction which could be used within 45 minutes of him giving an order.

The report led to a high profile dispute between the BBC and Downing Street which culminated in Dr Kelly’s death.

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