M. I.5 Officer Named As Conspirator In... (Press, 29 April 1987)

On 29 April 1987, in a significant revelation within the context of British politics, Harry Wharton, identified as a former M. I.5 officer, was named in the House of Commons as a key conspirator in a supposed “treasonable plot” aimed at undermining the then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson during the year 1974. The disclosure emerged as a Labour MP, Dale Campbell-Savours, utilised Parliamentary privilege to present a motion that elaborated on details published by the “Independent” newspaper regarding former M. I.5 agent Peter Wright's controversial book, “Spycatcher.” Campbell-Savours' motion noted that Wharton had been singled out as one of the main participants in a conspiracy to destabilise Wilson's government between February and October 1974. The motion demanded clarification from the current Prime Minister concerning any disciplinary actions against Wharton following a 1975 identification to Sir Michael Hanley, Director-General of M. I.5. Among other figures implicated in the allegations was Cecil King, the deceased chairman of the Daily Mirror Group, who was suggested to have connections with M. I.5 operations. The allegations put forth by Campbell-Savours sparked significant debate in Parliament, but there was no immediate reaction from the Government. This controversy unfolded within a landscape where Margaret Thatcher, the incumbent Prime Minister, faced ongoing scrutiny regarding improprieties linked to the intelligence services. Specifically, the Government had been dealing with the fallout from legal actions initiated by the Attorney-General to prevent the publication of excerpts from Wright's memoirs, which recount his experiences as a spy, leading to extensive media attention and speculation. The situation was further complicated by additional claims regarding a “dirty tricks” campaign in Northern Ireland, and a concerning admission from the Government regarding Sir Maurice Oldfield, the former head of M. I.6, whose sexual orientation had been disclosed as a potential security vulnerability. To curb the flow of information, the Attorney-General initiated legal proceedings against the “Independent” and two other newspapers for contempt of court due to their publication of extracts from Wright's memoirs, which had not yet been made public. This legal battle extended to Australia, where the British Government was engaged in efforts to prevent the release of “Spycatcher,” with an upcoming appeal scheduled in the Court of Appeal for later in July 1987. Overall, the re-emergence of these allegations concerning Wharton and the broader implications of Wright's revelations highlighted significant tensions within the British political and intelligence community, raising questions about government accountability, the integrity of intelligence operations, and the ongoing struggle between state secrecy and the public's right to know.

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