Labour M.P. ‘was A Soviet Spy’ (Press, 26 March 1981)

On 26 March 1981, the London "Daily Mail" published allegations concerning Tom Driberg, a former chairman of the Labour Party and a long-serving Member of Parliament, claiming he was a double agent for both British intelligence (MIS) and the Soviet K.G.B. The report, authored by veteran defence correspondent Chapman Pincher, asserted that Driberg supplied information about his acquaintances in Parliament to both agencies throughout his political life. Driberg, who was a member of Parliament from 1942 until 1974 and became a life peer just before his death in 1976, chaired the Labour Party from 1957 to 1958 and was part of its national executive for 23 years. The allegations were part of a broader scrutiny of Britain's intelligence community, with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher intending to address them in the House of Commons amidst a series of post-war scandals involving intelligence agencies. Pincher's claims also included a prior allegation that Sir Roger Hollis, who served as Director-General of MIS from 1956 to 1965, was a top-level Soviet agent. These new revelations were drawn from Pincher’s upcoming book, "Their Trade is Treachery", which was set to be published soon, with extracts already being featured in the "Daily Mail." According to the report, Driberg received financial compensation for his intelligence contributions and was often shielded from legal repercussions concerning his homosexuality, which had been legalised in 1969. He faced an indecent assault charge in 1935 but was acquitted. Moreover, it was claimed that he was repeatedly caught engaging in homosexual acts but avoided prosecution by invoking MIS protection. While Pincher indicated that Driberg was not privy to state secrets like Hollis, he noted that Driberg used his flat for sexual liaisons with other Parliament members, collecting information that could be potential blackmail material for the K.G.B. This surveillance formed part of MIS's file on Parliament members of concern. Driberg, who was openly homosexual and authored a frank autobiography titled "Ruling Passions," reflected on his early pursuits of homosexual experiences as well as his life choices, including a marriage in 1951 which did not indicate any heterosexual relations. He passed away at 71 years old before finalising his manuscript. Driberg's career also included notable journalism work for the "Daily Express," where he created the gossip column under the name William Hickey.

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