London: British Prime Minister Tony Blair still wants an apology from the BBC after a judicial inquiry cleared his Government of allegations aired by the public broadcaster that it doctored intelligence on Iraq, his spokesman said today (Jan 29, 2004).

"We still do want an apology", the spokesman told reporters, as BBC governors met to discuss their next move in the wake of Lord Brian Hutton's report into events, which led to the suicide of weapons expert David Kelly.

BBC director general Greg Dyke apologised yesterday (Jan 28, 2004) for errors in its May 29 report alleging that a September 2002 dossier on Iraq and weapons of mass destruction had been "sexed up" in the run-up to the Iraq war.

However, Blair's spokesman made it clear that this was not enough -- indicating that the bitter row between Downing Street and the fiercely independent public broadcaster, which preceded Kelly's death was escalating.

"What the Prime Minister does believe is his integrity was called into question," Blair's spokesman told journalists.

"It's for the BBC governors to decide personnel matters within the BBC," he continued.

He added, "We still do want an apology."