Intelligence, Security and the State
Reviewing the British Intelligence Community
Published on 31. March 2025
Book
Hardback
440 pages
978-1-3995-1925-0 (ISBN)
Description
The modern-day UK intelligence and security community is the product of over a century of reviews going back to Edwardian spy scares, through two World Wars, and a Cold War. Written by intelligence experts,
Intelligence, Security and the State provides an insight into the development of UK intelligence through a selection of the many intelligence reviews that have taken place during this period. How and why these reviews were commissioned and their impact, if any, is analysed in detail. The reviews cover the origins and early development of the community, alongside the political, operational, and financial oversight of British intelligence. Each of the declassified reviews, reproduced here for the first time, are introduced by short essays giving a wider understanding of the UK intelligence community. The book offers a detailed insight into the machinery of government in the UK and British intelligence as a whole.
Intelligence, Security and the State provides an insight into the development of UK intelligence through a selection of the many intelligence reviews that have taken place during this period. How and why these reviews were commissioned and their impact, if any, is analysed in detail. The reviews cover the origins and early development of the community, alongside the political, operational, and financial oversight of British intelligence. Each of the declassified reviews, reproduced here for the first time, are introduced by short essays giving a wider understanding of the UK intelligence community. The book offers a detailed insight into the machinery of government in the UK and British intelligence as a whole.
Reviews / Votes
'Lomas and Murphy's volume is a groundbreaking study of how the British state created, reshaped and oversaw the structure and work of its secret agencies over the past 125 years. It tells a story previously untold and one which neither intelligence agencies nor their masters understand fully. It is an essential read for anyone interested in intelligence history.' -- John R. Ferris, University of Calgary, CanadaMore details
Series
Language
English
Place of publication
Edinburgh
United Kingdom
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Illustrations
7 B&W figures
Dimensions
Height: 246 mm
Width: 173 mm
Thickness: 28 mm
Weight
906 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3995-1925-0 (9781399519250)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Dan Lomas is Assistant Professor in International Relations at the University of Nottingham. Christopher J. Murphy is Senior Lecturer in Intelligence Studies at the University of Salford.
Content
Dedication
Introduction: Reviewing the British Intelligence Community
1. Origins: The Secret Service Bureau, 1909
2. Secret Service Committee: Organising Inter-War British intelligence, 1919 - 1931
3. The Gathering Storm: Lord Hankey and the Intelligence Community (1940)
4. Saving SIGINT: Van Cutsem and Bletchley Park (1942)
5. The Secret Intelligence Service and the Bland Report (1944)
6. The Defence of the Realm: Findlater Stewart and MI5 (1945)
7. The Cadogan Report, Homosexuality and the "Missing Diplomats" (1951)
8. Sir Norman Brook and Early Cold War Intelligence (1951)
9. Sir Horace Seymour and the "Secret Service" (1953)
10. The Blame Game: the Bridges Report and "Buster" Crabb (1956)
11. A Police State? Sir Norman Birkett and the Interception of Communications (1957)
12. Sir Gerald Templer and Dervice Intelligence (1960)
13. Spies and Scandal: Romer, Radcliffe and Cunningham
14. Moral Misbehaviour: Lord Denning and the Profumo Affair, 1963
15. Sir Stewart Hampshire, GCHQ and the Cost of SIGINT
16. The Troubles: British intelligence in Northern Ireland, 1979 - 1982
17. Sir Colin Crowe, Cold War Propaganda and the Information Research Department (1976)
18. A Bucket of Whitewash? The Franks Review and the Falklands (1982-3)
19. Intelligence at the End of the Cold War
20. Lord Butler, Intelligence and the Iraq War (2004)
Conclusion: Whitewash or Oversight?
Bibliography
Index
Introduction: Reviewing the British Intelligence Community
1. Origins: The Secret Service Bureau, 1909
2. Secret Service Committee: Organising Inter-War British intelligence, 1919 - 1931
3. The Gathering Storm: Lord Hankey and the Intelligence Community (1940)
4. Saving SIGINT: Van Cutsem and Bletchley Park (1942)
5. The Secret Intelligence Service and the Bland Report (1944)
6. The Defence of the Realm: Findlater Stewart and MI5 (1945)
7. The Cadogan Report, Homosexuality and the "Missing Diplomats" (1951)
8. Sir Norman Brook and Early Cold War Intelligence (1951)
9. Sir Horace Seymour and the "Secret Service" (1953)
10. The Blame Game: the Bridges Report and "Buster" Crabb (1956)
11. A Police State? Sir Norman Birkett and the Interception of Communications (1957)
12. Sir Gerald Templer and Dervice Intelligence (1960)
13. Spies and Scandal: Romer, Radcliffe and Cunningham
14. Moral Misbehaviour: Lord Denning and the Profumo Affair, 1963
15. Sir Stewart Hampshire, GCHQ and the Cost of SIGINT
16. The Troubles: British intelligence in Northern Ireland, 1979 - 1982
17. Sir Colin Crowe, Cold War Propaganda and the Information Research Department (1976)
18. A Bucket of Whitewash? The Franks Review and the Falklands (1982-3)
19. Intelligence at the End of the Cold War
20. Lord Butler, Intelligence and the Iraq War (2004)
Conclusion: Whitewash or Oversight?
Bibliography
Index