Cambridge Spies and vetting experiences
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“This man has a propensity for gratuitous violence, which might render him susceptible to being placed in a compromising situation.” 
Gentleman Aviator
Doesn't such policies re Homosexuality themselves create an environment that makes for the possibility of compromise that the policy seeks to prevent?
On all my (UK) DVs (or whatever they were called at the time) from I guess about 1989 to 2002 - so many renewals and changes - the deal was always "If we know about it (whatever it was) then you can't be compromised/blackmailed." Apparently it also covered "bits on the side" if the missus knew about it. Same logic I suppose...... None of this of course applied to moi!!
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
The point about the wg cdr was startling. If he had reached the rank of wg cdr before confessing then it followed that he had previously lied. I have no clue who the wg cdr was though I had seen rather odd behaviour by another wg cdr some 12 years previously.
Similarly the story about the VSO had only surfaced after he was compromised in a toilet in Shepherd's Bush.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Now if interviews had taken place west of 8 west!
The tale I relate dated from late 80s - PV - while on a course at a school in Kent. The lecture was by a 'young' provost officer and his subject was hijacked by hostile questioning from the audience, one of whom was the airman's flt cdr.
The point about the wg cdr was startling. If he had reached the rank of wg cdr before confessing then it followed that he had previously lied. I have no clue who the wg cdr was though I had seen rather odd behaviour by another wg cdr some 12 years previously.
Similarly the story about the VSO had only surfaced after he was compromised in a toilet in Shepherd's Bush.
The point about the wg cdr was startling. If he had reached the rank of wg cdr before confessing then it followed that he had previously lied. I have no clue who the wg cdr was though I had seen rather odd behaviour by another wg cdr some 12 years previously.
Similarly the story about the VSO had only surfaced after he was compromised in a toilet in Shepherd's Bush.
Back in the day, it's quite plausible that someone could be living in denial of their sexuality and only admit to themselves in later life that they were gay. It wasn't at all uncommon for people to get married (to someone of the opposite gender) and have a family, before later accepting their own sexuality. In that scenario no lying would be required, as the subject would have believed they were telling the truth when they claimed to be straight.
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Many moons ago a colleague of mine, due for an overseas posting, had a home visit from a PV officer. All the usual questions, but included, 'I see you have an electric drill. How much did that cost and what do you use it for?' Highly suspicious, of course, a civilian with a power drill. Drill is only for the troops.
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I finished Burgess last night ....... good book, disgusting subject. He should have swung. As it is, his exile in Russia was not enjoyed, and he died amazingly young as his habits caught up with him.
My interest was piqued by watching the BBC2 two parter "Cambridge Spies", with a superb cast, such that I see the spies in my mind's eye as those actors.
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Back in the day, it's quite plausible that someone could be living in denial of their sexuality and only admit to themselves in later life that they were gay. It wasn't at all uncommon for people to get married (to someone of the opposite gender) and have a family, before later accepting their own sexuality. In that scenario no lying would be required, as the subject would have believed they were telling the truth when they claimed to be straight.
Thank you, that will be next on my book list [I have read the Maclean biography, and Philby is next.] Could it still happen? Probably not, because the upside of the death of deference is that young and middle-aged people have been taught to question and to abandon respect for their "betters".
A complete whitewash of his career of treason, it really makes you cringe how these cretins could justify the harm and deaths they caused.
Last edited by BBadanov; 12th Oct 2018 at 07:40. Reason: sp
Was it Andrew Brookes who pointed out in one of his books that Tony Benn wouldn't have passed PV when he was Minister for Technology in the 1960s and arguably instrumental in wrecking the UK airframe industry?
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Probably not, skua. According to Wiki he wasn’t doing much secret stuff during his VERY short career. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Benn Having started as an AC2 in July 1943 ...
A bit different to his father, Air Cdre DSO DFC 
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will...ount_Stansgate
He was granted an emergency commission as a pilot officer (on probation) on 10 March 1945.[29] As a pilot officer, Benn served as a pilot in South Africa and Rhodesia.[30] He relinquished his commission with effect from 10 August 1945, three months after the Second World War ended in Europe on 8 May, and just days before the war with Japan ended on 2 September.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Will...ount_Stansgate
Last edited by MPN11; 12th Oct 2018 at 11:32.
I don't own this space under my name. I should have leased it while I still could
Without wishing to sully the portals of PPRuNe with politics, it would be interesting to know whether the current Leader of Her Majesty's Loyal Opposition would be granted a DV clearance in the light of his background. Presumably Prime Ministers (and indeed some other Ministers) need some sort of clearance? Or are they exempt by virtue of being politicians?
Let us not forget that Denis Healey, as Minister of Defence, was a former member of the Communist Party. Was he PV'd?