Norman Baker

Thank you for this. I agree that proving it was murder is easier than proving who did it. I should point out that I did not in the end conclude that elements backing Saddam were responsible, but rather elements opposing him. Those same elements were responsible for feeding dodgy intelligence to the west and specifically the 45-min claim to the UK government. Those also were key for the US and UK to the post-Saddam Iraq - hence the motive for covering it up. Also, the reason for the start time of Operation Mason was given to me by an informant rather being speculation on my part. I am sorry if this did not come across well, but I naturally have to be careful about libel, amongst other things. In the end , of course, my work is no proper substitute for a proper judicial process, which is what I am calling for.

To the first I can only say "read the book". The book is designed to answer precisely those two questions and I cannot really short-circuit the answers here. The second is also answered in the book.

I'm not sure whether you've got to the relevant section yet, but I do advance the theory that the killing was badly handled pour encourager les autres, though in the end I don't think it was this, for the reasons I give. I quote Wouter Basson in this context, I think.

I'm not sure whether you've got to the relevant section yet, but I do advance the theory that the killing was badly handled pour encourager les autres, though in the end I don't think it was this, for the reasons I give. I quote Wouter Basson in this context, I think.

Yes I agree it was a very unfair review. I would have expected better from Richard Norton-Taylor. I wonder in fact if he HAS read it. Interestingly, I have found the reaction to the book to be dependant on the pre-conceived views people already had. Those who already thought there was something suspicious have been very supportive, and those who didn't have been unremittingly hostile. About the only balanced review has been Nick Rufford in the Sunday Times who, while he didn't agree with my conclusion, acknowledged the work I had done and the holes I had found. The other broad response feature has been, to my surprise, that what might loosely be called the right-wing press has been much more sympathetic than the left-wing press. As for the Guardian itself, I don't know. Perhaps you could ask Mr Norton-Taylor.

Yes I agree it was a very unfair review. I would have expected better from Richard Norton-Taylor. I wonder in fact if he HAS read it. Interestingly, I have found the reaction to the book to be dependant on the pre-conceived views people already had. Those who already thought there was something suspicious have been very supportive, and those who didn't have been unremittingly hostile. About the only balanced review has been Nick Rufford in the Sunday Times who, while he didn't agree with my conclusion, acknowledged the work I had done and the holes I had found. The other broad response feature has been, to my surprise, that what might loosely be called the right-wing press has been much more sympathetic than the left-wing press. As for the Guardian itself, I don't know. Perhaps you could ask Mr Norton-Taylor.

Norman Baker has been MP for Lewes since 1997 and has established a reputation as one of the most dogged and persistent parliamentary interrogators the modern House of Commons has known. Born in Aberdeen, Norman moved to Hornchurch in Essex in 1968 and was educated at the Royal Liberty School, Gidea Park, in London before taking a degree in German (and running one of the college bars) at Royal Holloway College, University of London. After leaving university Norman held a variety of jobs and was executive regional director for Our Price Records for five years from 1978. From 1985 he taught English as a second language for two years. He was elected to his local councils - Lewes District and Beddingham Parish - in 1987, and two years later was elected to East Sussex County Council to represent Telscombe. In 1991 he led the Liberal Democrats to victory on Lewes District Council, becoming that council’s first ever Liberal Democrat leader. He contested the Lewes parliamentary constituency in 1992, and at his second attempt in 1997 succeeded in becoming the seat’s first non-Conservative MP since 1874. As an MP Norman made his reputation for uncovering scandal and exposing conflicts of interest and uncomfortable facts, criticising the Millennium Dome project and largely contributing to Peter Mandelson’s second resignation over his relations with the Hinduja brothers. Norman was appointed Liberal Democrat spokesman on animal welfare in 1999, and won an award as “best newcomer MP” for his campaigning on environmental issues. In 2001 Norman was named “Inquisitor of the Year” in the Zurich/Spectator Parliamentarian of the Year awards, and in February 2002 Channel 4 named him “Opposition MP of the Year”. In 2003 he received the RSPCA’s Lord Erskine Award in recognition of his campaigning for animal welfare. He was promoted to the Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet in October 2002 as Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment and Transport, and from 2005 as Shadow Environment and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) Secretary. In May 2006 he stepped down from the Shadow Cabinet, announcing that he intended to concentrate on further investigation of unanswered questions about the death of Dr David Kelly, the scientist found dead in 2003 after being named as the possible source of a BBC story on the Government’s dossier justifying the invasion of Iraq. In 2007 Norman was appointed Shadow Minister for the Cabinet Office and Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster.