Vassall Spy Case Tribunal Report Clears Minister... (Press, 26 April 1963)

On 25 April 1963, a tribunal in London released a report concluding that former British minister Mr Thomas Galbraith had no improper relationship with William Vassall, a former Admiralty clerk who had been imprisoned for espionage. The tribunal, led by Lord Radcliffe, described allegations connecting Galbraith with Vassall as unfounded. Vassall, who was sentenced to 18 years for selling secrets to the Soviet Union, had sparked controversy regarding his connections within the Admiralty. The tribunal examined claims that the First Lord of the Admiralty, Lord Carrington, and his service chiefs had prior knowledge of Vassall's spy activities. However, it determined that they were first alerted to the situation in April 1962, just months before Vassall's arrest. The report asserted that no officials were at fault for failing to identify Vassall as a security risk despite speculation regarding his lifestyle. Amidst the scandal, Galbraith had resigned from his ministerial position after the release of letters he exchanged with Vassall, which were mainly routine communications. Prime Minister Harold Macmillan backed the tribunal's establishment in Parliament and rejected the notion that Galbraith's efficiency was in question, instead accusing the Opposition of a smear campaign against his moral character. The tribunal unequivocally stated that there were no indications of an improper relationship between Galbraith and Vassall and dismissed claims they planned to meet in Italy, concluding such suggestions were baseless. They also noted no wrongful actions were taken regarding Vassall's recruitment or ongoing employment, asserting the security measures in place were inadequate for the situation. The report clarified that Vassall had never been perceived as a homosexual or a security risk within diplomatic circles, underscoring that there was no evidence the British security authorities overlooked significant details about him. It acknowledged that Vassall was manipulated into betrayal by a Russian secret service agent, Sigmund Mikhailski, who befriended him while he worked at the British Embassy in Moscow. Furthermore, the tribunal addressed various press allegations concerning Vassall's interactions with Galbraith, including claims about weekend visits to Galbraith's Scottish home. After reviewing correspondence found in Vassall’s possession post-arrest, the tribunal characterised the communications as innocent and typical of a friendly relationship with no inappropriate content. In a separate announcement on the same day, Lord Carrington revealed that the UK's Polaris submarines would be based on the River Clyde in Scotland, with facilities at Faslane in Gare Loch being developed for this purpose, expected to be completed by 1968 when the first submarine would become operational.

The text on this page is created, in the most part, using Generative AI and so may contain errors or omissions. It is supplied to you without guarantee or warranty of correctness. If you find an error or would like to make a content suggestion please get in contact

The text on this page is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 3.0 New Zealand