CHANGING TIMES

ONE of my star purchases at the Anglican Church Christmas bazaar on Sunday, was Spy Catcher, the infamous book by former Intelligence officer Peter Wright, which caused a sensation in the 1980s because the British government wanted it banned because it allegedly contained official secrets. It was banned in Britain but it still went on sale across the globe. Almost 25 years after it was published and the revelations in the book appear rather tame, especially as it is set during the Cold War, a bygone era. It is a good read but both MI5 and MI6 come across as an exclusive boy´s club who spent millions of pounds of tax-payer´s money on stunts with very limited success. A game of cat and mouse was played out with the Soviets, but one has to ask, what exactly did this game achieve, if anything? Wright claims that MI6 and to a lesser extent MI5 was riddled with Soviet agents. Also, it must be said that both organisations appeared to be rather sinister. Officially they did not exist and they were not as accountable to the government as they are these days. It is amazing how things have changed in 25 years and the world is now a much different place. The security services have a far bigger role now than they did then and lets hope they are successful.