WHO was responsible for government weapons expert Dr David Kelly's death? Was it Alastair Campbell, Geoff Hoon or Tony Blair?

Was it the faceless bureaucrats at the Ministry of Defence or the reporters who hounded him after he was exposed as the source of the story alleging the case for Iraq had been "sexed up"?

Although blame has been heaped on all of these people over the past week, the truth perhaps is that the person who killed Dr Kelly appears to be Dr Kelly himself.

Suicide is the ultimate selfish act. Dr Kelly's death has inflicted huge suffering on his family and friends and has left a trail of wretched victims in his wake. There will be countless people asking if they had only said or done something, could they have made a difference.

Doctor Kelly was caught in a nasty, underhand war between the Government and the BBC. He was made a scapegoat, pilloried in the media and put under intense pressure.

But many people face far greater crises than these. People suffer debilitating illness, the death of a partner, lose their homes or cope with financial ruin and still struggle on.

The MP Andrew Mackinlay, who jeered at Dr Kelly during the select committee hearing: "You're chaff! Do you feel like a fall guy?" will now be tormented by his words.

Others may have responded this sort of unpleasant, hectoring banter by telling him to shove off. I have seen witnesses in court deal with much worse under cross-examination. How was Mr Mackinlay to know Dr Kelly would apparently respond as he did?

More than 4,500 people commit suicide in England every year. The reasons are complex and individual. In most cases, victims are suffering depression.

Dr Kelly's death is, of course, desperately sad and a salutary lesson for us all. His treatment did expose the bullies at the heart of British politics. Those who put him under pressure should feel uncomfortable and uneasy about their behaviour.

But none of them is to blame for his death. Dr Kelly did not, apparently, leave a suicide note. We can only guess at the reasons why. We know he was a man in torment. But his greatest tormentor may have been himself.

IT'S hard to believe the fey interior designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen is the celebrity most women fancy. Perhaps they have had enough of the average, brutish man smelling of beer, sweat and testosterone and now want someone gentle and a bit like a girlie best friend. Best of all, he won't throw a strop when they suggest spending the day shopping at IKEA.

GEORGE Best really is deluding himself. Following the drinking binge that damaged his transplanted liver, he says if it fails it's his fault and he will refuse another transplant. Everyone else knows there won't be another one on offer. But he's clearly convinced himself that, if he goes back on the bottle, he will have option and there is still hope. Is he just a few steps away from persuading himself one more drink won't hurt?

HOW does the Royal Mail know it has lost so many letters? Most people are unaware they haven't received something they weren't expecting anyway. They can quote us any old figure and still half it next year to show us well they are doing.