19-10-2009, 06:31 PM
The Guardian, Saturday Review, 17 October 2009, p.15
Letter: “Inside MI5”
Neal Ascherson, London
Letter: “Inside MI5”
Quote:David Leigh omits one of his own most brilliant achievements in his review of Christopher Andrew’s The Defence of the Realm: The Authorised History of MI5 (“Whispers and lies,” 10 October). This was his exposure (in the Observer) of the secret presence of an MI5 officer permanently based in Broadcasting House, whose task was to approve or veto all applications for BBC staff jobs after running the names through security service files. Rejected applications were stamped with a “Christmas tree” mark by this officer, who in the 1980s was reported to be a certain Brigadier Ronnie Stonham.
In one notorious case, Isabel Hilton was blacklisted on the idiotic grounds that she had been secretary of the Scotland-China association – most of whose members were retired Presbyterian missionaries. This monstrous and well-documented case of intelligence control of the media is not even mentioned in Andrew’s book. That reveals what the adjective “authorised” can mean. Perhaps the BBC scandal was omitted because something of the sort is still going on.
Neal Ascherson, London