The Secret History of MI6 - Keith Jeffery [1]
Why focus on 1909-1949? Firstly, SIS’s first forty years cover a period of vital concern for the United Kingdom. Secondly, 1949 represents a watershed in our professional work with the move to Cold War targets and techniques. Thirdly and most importantly, full details of our history after 1949 are still too sensitive to place in the public domain. Up to 1949 Professor Jeffery has been free to tell a complete story and to put on the public record a well-informed picture of the intelligence contribution to a key period of twentieth-century history. During this time, SIS developed from a small, Europe-focused organisation into a worldwide professional Service ready to take an important role in the Cold War.
Throughout, we have been at pains to provide the necessary openness to enable the author to tell our history definitively. We take very seriously our obligations to protect our agents, our staff and all who assist us. Our policy on the non-release of records themselves, as opposed to information drawn from the archive, remains unchanged. A statement on this policy is outlined below.
Professor Jeffery has had unrestricted access to the Service archive covering the period of this work. He has made his own independent judgements as an experienced academic and scholar. In so doing he has given a detailed account of the challenges, successes and failures faced by the Service and its leadership in our first forty years.
Above all Professor Jeffery’s history gives a view of the men and women who, through hard work, dedicated service, character and courage, helped to establish and shape the Service in its difficult and demanding early days. I see these qualities displayed every day in the current Service as SIS staff continue to face danger in far-flung places to protect the United Kingdom and promote the national interest. I know my predecessors would be as proud as I am of the men and women of the Service today.
I am grateful to Keith Jeffery for accepting the appointment to write our history and to Queen’s University Belfast for releasing him for this task. It is a fascinating read. I commend it to you.
John Sawers,
Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service
SIS does not disclose the names of agents or of living members of staff and only in exceptional circumstances agrees to waive the anonymity of deceased staff. Exceptionally and in recognition of the Service’s aim in publishing the history it has been agreed that there is an overriding justification for making public, within the constraints of what the law permits, some information which ordinarily would be protected.
However, SIS’s policy has not restricted the occasional official release of some Service material - we have previously authorised a limited release of SIS information for other biographies of important intelligence figures.
An extensive clearance process with partner-departments and agencies has been implemented to ensure that the history does not compromise national security; is consistent with government policy on “Neither confirm nor deny” and does not damage the public interest. The author, therefore, does not identify by name any previously unnamed agents, only those named already in officially released documents, citations for wartime decorations, or previously approved publications. He also mentions a very small number of agents, who have already identified themselves. He names former staff only when judged essential for historical purposes and to satisfy the Service’s aim of informing public understanding of its origin and role.
Preface
The British Secret Intelligence Service - popularly known as MI6 - is the oldest continuously surviving foreign intelligence-gathering organisation in the world. It was founded in October 1909 as the