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Cambridge Five Spy Ring — Part 24

60 pages · May 09, 2026 · Broad topic: Intelligence Operations · Topic: Cambridge Five Spy Ring · 60 pages OCR'd
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aa PREVENTIVE POLICY . ok es RISK .OF BLACKMAIL One of the chief problems: of security fo 3." So: j -day, says the report, is i : ‘ “may De called ne orale Po ar aT members of the British Communist tery. wks and defects of character and conduct, | . to be informed of ts “ ‘those’ who are The conference recognize that to-day great 1 identify that wider poy or -susceptible importance must be paid to character defects, S¥Mpathetic to ure and present a danger ' as factors tending to make a man unreliable to ommninist press t s} or expose him to blackmail or influence by ' . : foreign agents, They say there is a duty oa- Thereafter, steps must be taken to see that departments to inform themselves of sesiaug_ S#cret information Js ical ov other motives, ' failings such as drunkenness, addiction to one who, for, Th OO vernment agres with | drugs, homosexuality, or any loose living May betray it, The @ will continue to base - that may seriously affect a man’s reliability. this broad analysis and will conti le of this The White Paper continues: “There is aj their policy on hoving neces” to * ecret ' natural reluctance to make adverse reports pature | from aving = & oe eee On colleagues and nothing could be worse ‘ : ; than to encourage tale-bearing or malicious The report deals with the public serv es gossip. Nevertheless, it is important - to generally, But it is implicit i -Impress not only on heads of departments = — . . but on supervisory officers generally that it | {fat the conference recognize that in certa } is their duty to know their staff and that they . [|afeaS og the public serviceé—nolably in tfe must not fail 10 report anything which, i Foreign] Service, the defence field, and the affects security. J [ifAtomic | Energy Authority—the need for |: c = wun vureds ociations-ae s ym wathice and: recautibns is greater than elsewhere. The ‘ommu or pat a nent is view, also serious defects or failings uch might ‘ overnigent accept this view feopardize the security of the section of the} . : ‘public service in their charge. The Govern: ; RIGHT OF APPEAL Ment accept this recommendation, althou . they recognize that the Measures necessary APPROVAL OF 1948 . to give effect to it will require very care! . consideration.” ‘ TRIBUNAL The conference recognize that some of the COMMUNIST FAITH Measures which the State is driven to take ' . . to protect its security are In some respects NORMAL LOYALTIES | \ | alien to our traditional practices, Thus, in . ; *“ OVERRIDDEN ” + 41] #rder not to imperil sources of information, The conference recommended that it i | ¢sisions have sometimes to be taken without should be recognized that the fact that a: revealing full details of the supporting * j public servant is a Communist not ‘only vidence. ; : Pars his employment on secret duties but Again, it is sometimes necessary to re may also in some departments have an une | }(!0 ¢mploy a man on secret duties, or to reguse . favourable effect on his prospects . of }[jto employ him at all if, after the fullest |, ae i romotion. eo "| \nvestigation, doubts about his reliability F : They also make a series of recommenda- | \remain, even although nothing may have been tions which turn on the risk presented by roved against him on standards which . those in regard to whom there is no evidence - | vould be accepted in a court of law. ; of Communist party membership, wd “The conference agree regretfully that these |i evidence of Communist sympathies o: a {| counter-measures, although they are distaste- * close association with party members, The | ful in some respects, are essential if the conference are of the opinion that, in these | security of the State is to be ensured. But difficult and often borderline cases, it is right jjthey recognize that it is also important to to continue tilting the balance in favour of [convince public opinion that the measures State security rather than individual rights. filaken and the procedures in force will not They recommend that an individual who is ;[‘¢_ exercised unreasonably. living with a wife or husband who is a Com- |} For this reason the conference approve munist or a Communist sympathizer may, '|[the tribunal (commonly known as the for that reason alone, have to be moved Three Advisers *") set up in 1948 to hear from secret work, and that the same principle . eae rounds with eS titgatened on should be applied in other cases of a like utes or dismisea from the servicg. . i” The report begins with an analysis of the is Mpchioery should continue and the ; eneral nature of the security risks facing | Ponferenck also recommend that (fe terms » ritain, The conference point out that pf Teference of the “Three Afivisers ¥ _whereas once the main risk to be guarded || Should be widened, to enable them t Present f Against was espionage by foreign Powers fuller Teport to the responsible Minister. { carried out by professional agents, to-day aan the chief tisks are presenied by Communists _ . ‘ and by other persons who for one reqs " a another are subject to Communis@ftitionce, “ The Communist faith overrides a may, normal loyalties to his country and ind’ a the belief that it is justifiable’ to hand’ ; secret information to the Communiet; , as or to the Communist foreign P oo. : . , i White Paper continues. a re ee Ee hae ee
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