Espionage and Secrecy (Routledge Revivals) by Rosamund Thomas

Author:Rosamund Thomas [Thomas, Rosamund]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: History, General, Europe, Great Britain, Modern, 20th Century, Law, Civil Law, Civil Procedure, Civil Rights, Criminal Law, Legal History, Political Science, Security (National & International), Human Rights, Intelligence & Espionage
ISBN: 9781134876983
Google: 86BTDAAAQBAJ
Publisher: Routledge
Published: 2016-06-10T16:16:59+00:00

 See Hansard House of Commons Written Answers by the Attorney-General 9 November 1981 c. 12. The same day the Prime Minister, Mrs Margaret Thatcher, set out details about the Leo Long case in a written reply to earlier questions in the Commons. See Hansard House of Commons 9 November 1981 cc. 40–2. See also The Times 10 November 1981.

142 The British Security Service wanted information from Blunt, following the defections of Burgess and Maclean in 1951, and the defection of Philby in 1963, about Soviet penetration of the security and intelligence services, and other public services, during and after the Second World War. See The Times 16 November 1979.

143 Although the precise offences Blunt committed are not known, the most obvious charges would have been offences of treason (aiding an enemy in wartime) and/or espionage offences under section 1 of the Official Secrets Act 1911, as amended, which would have required the consent of the Attorney-General to institute criminal proceedings. Hence, the immunity would have been a promise to Blunt not to prosecute.

144 A. T. H. Smith ‘Immunity from Prosecution’ Cambridge Law Journal [19831 at 303, 326. The italics are ours.

145 Sir Elwyn-Jones (later Lord) in his period of office as Attorney-General did not ratify the decision, apparently because he was not informed of the decision on Blunt. Yet, he held office as Attorney-General from approximately four months after Blunt’s confession for some six years. See Hansard House of Commons Special Debate on Mr. Anthony Blunt 21 November 1979 c. 424.

146 A. T. H. Smith ‘Immunity from Prosecution’ [1983] at 311–327.

147 See Hansard House of Commons Special Debate on Mr Anthony Blunt 21 November 1979 cc. 406–8 and c. 520.

148 Sir Norman Brook (later Lord Normanbrook).

149 See Hansard House of Commons Special Debate on Mr Anthony Blunt 21 November 1979 cc. 410–11.

150 ‘Mr Long was an undergraduate at Trinity College, Cambridge, and a member of the Communist Party’, before the Second World War. While at Cambridge, he was recruited by Anthony Blunt as a potential Soviet agent. See The Times 10 November 1981.

151 ‘After the War, from 1945 until his contract expired in 1952, Mr Long was an Intelligence Officer in the Control Commission in Germany.’ See The Times 10 November 1981.

152 The Prime Minister was questioned in the House of Commons about Mr Long on 9 November and also issued a detailed written reply on the Long case. See The Times 10 November 1981.

153 See Hansard House of Commons Written Answers by the Attorney-General 9 November 1981 c. 12.

154 See, for example, Hansard House of Commons Special Debate on Mr Anthony Blunt 21 November 1979 cc. 402–520.

155 Anthony Blunt died in 1983. Until the public statement about the immunity from prosecution given to him, Professor Sir Anthony Blunt, art historian, had held numerous senior appointments, including the unpaid post of Surveyor to the Kings (from 1952 the Queen’s) Pictures from 1945 to 1972 and later, as adviser. For his work with the Royal Collection he was made CVO in 1947 and KCVO in 1956.

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