To Catch a Spy: How the Spycatcher Affair Brought MI5 in from the Cold

Accusations that a former Prime Minister misled Parliament and that their senior adviser perjured themselves to cover-up state criminality and conspiracy aren’t made lightly and must be supported by evidence. Best-selling non-fiction writer and award-winning documentary film maker Tim Tate does this and more in spectacular fashion in his latest book. Employing his characteristic dry wit, he conducts a forensic analysis of the circumstances surrounding the UK Government’s failed attempts to silence the memoirs of ex-MI5 officer and mole-hunter Peter Wright.

‘Spycatcher’ was published in 1987 and was born out of Peter Wright’s frustration with his previous employers over-stepping the legal mark in how they conducted covert surveillance, and their perceived failure to deal with his allegations of Soviet infiltration of British intelligence. It did not help that he was also left in a poor financial position by a failure to honour undertakings in respect of his pension. The conspiracy by politicians and civil servants to ban Wright’s memoirs and to keep the whole saga out of the public domain form the basis of Tate’s book.

As a teenager I had a keen interest in politics and global affairs and remember the ‘Spycatcher’ affair well (if not fully understanding it at the time), and so I jumped at the chance of reviewing a proof copy of ‘To Catch a Spy’. What I found was a treasure trove of information which kept me hooked as the scene was set and then the legal proceedings unfolded. With each new revelation, my emotions jumped between disbelief and outrage, if you fail to be shocked at least once by this book then you’re likely reading it in Thames House.

The author meticulously references material from thousands of pages of court transcripts, British Government files released to the National Archives, and original interviews with key players. Even where information had been removed before being released (such as the disappearance of a note written by a senior Government adviser trying to get an investigation stopped), Tate simply went elsewhere to find it, evidence of thorough and painstaking research.

The events were painted in vivid colour, and I felt like I was watching the story unfold first-hand. I shared the trials and tribulations of the characters, feeling that I was in that Australian courtroom with Sir Robert Armstrong, (Cabinet Secretary at the time) an unenviable position to be in when, in his words, you are being “economical with the truth”. Worthy of a Grisham-esque scene (although sadly not fictional), Sir Robert’s arrogance as portrayed in the proceedings negated any sympathy that I may have had with his predicament. It was often hard to suppress laughter at the author’s dry analysis - “With that, the Cabinet Secretary threw a second government minister under the bus crash of his sworn testimony”.

Although the revelations in ‘Spycatcher’ are decades old, there is a gravitas added by the author’s evidence-based analysis. It is astounding that in any liberal democracy some of these events, many as recently as the 1980s, could happen. Whilst criticising successive governments, I understand the relatively lighter touch afforded by the author to those working on the ground. By modern-day standards, what was permitted in the name of national security in post-war Britain was completely unacceptable. However, whilst MI5 officers were unconstrained, it is also acknowledged that they were dangerously exposed by the absence of a legal basis for intelligence operations. This book clearly sets out the consequences of having unaccountable public servants operating not only without a legal framework, but without an ethical framework. For intelligence operatives in post-war Britain, and for decades after, breaking the law was not only permissible, but literally unavoidable. The book demonstrates how ultimate responsibility for this lies firmly with their political masters.

Readers interested in the history of covert surveillance techniques will find Wright’s role as “boffin and burglar” fascinating, revealing details around the technical development of surveillance, how it was deployed, and how it was also compromised. It is also essential reading for students of twentieth-century politics or those wishing to learn how and why the accountability structures for intelligence and security in the United Kingdom have evolved to where they are today. British intelligence is under Parliamentary scrutiny in no small part because of the events portrayed in this book, and without them it is likely that the Security Services Act 1989 in particular would have been much later in coming to fruition. Tate sets this evolution in context, highlighting other relevant world events and providing a rich picture of politics and security during the war and post-war period. The connections between his revelations and other scandals of the day often prompted me to refresh my memory on events which were peripheral, but very relevant, to the narrative.

Anyone tasked with making decisions that are likely to be subject to public scrutiny and accountability would be well advised to read this book. The politicians and civil servants therein teach a masterclass in how to achieve outcomes that are the opposite of what was intended. Instead of suppressing Wright’s memoirs, the British Government opened a Pandora’s box which turned the book into an international blockbuster, costing the taxpayer the modern equivalent of £10 million.

Researched like an intelligence officer, argued like a barrister, and as engaging and intriguing as a Le Carré, Tate presents a critical and compelling analysis which makes for both a fascinating and disturbing portrayal of how a government treated truth, justice, and public accountability with disdain.

TO CATCH A SPY: How the Spycatcher Affair Brought MI5 in from the Cold is out on 15 August 2024 and is published by Icon Books, London.

Simon Ball was invited to write this review as a member of the Board of the International Association For Intelligence Education European Chapter. Simon specialises in matters of intelligence and security.