Category: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

Source: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

Sir Richard Moore, Chief of the UK Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), made his second public speech in role on 19 July 2023 in Prague, Czech Republic. He spoke of the threats and opportunities facing the world, “the human factor” which is critical to understanding them and the historic parallels between Russian aggression in Ukraine and Soviet repression of the Prague Spring – which had prompted some Russians to reach out to the West in the interests of peace. He focussed on three key areas: the creativity and resilience shown by the Ukranian people in meeting Russia’s aggression, the silent wars which are being waged by hostile states in contested spaces and how Human Intelligence is even more vital in the age of Artificial Inteligence.

Following the speech, POLITICO’s Anne McElvoy had the opportunity to ask follow-up questions on these themes, the duty of care MI6 has for their agents and the culture within the organisation.

Source: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

We at the Secret Intelligence Service offer our sincerest congratulations to Their Majesties King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Their Coronation.

As proud Crown Servants, we have hosted His Majesty – then HRH The Prince of Wales – many times to SIS headquarters and look forward to welcoming Him back as King in the future. The King’s support for our mission and empathy for the special demands placed on SIS staff, has always been hugely motivating as we strive secretly to serve our King and Country.

We will continue to support His Majesty King Charles III in His sovereign duties with operational flair and a steadfast commitment to the national security of the UK.

Source: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

Today we publish our sixth Gender Pay Gap Report. At SIS we recognise that this level of transparency is important in holding us to account and demonstrating our commitment to closing SIS’ gender pay gap.

This year’s report shows a welcome but modest improvement in the recruitment, retention and career progression of woment at SIS. We have agreed a recruitment goal, along with our UK Inteligence Community partners, which reflects our target of matching the national working average populations we serve, by 2024.

You can read the full report here: Gender Pay Gap Report 2022

Source: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

Alongside so many people throughout the UK, the Commonwealth and around the world, we at SIS mourn the loss of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. At home and overseas, we have been reflecting on the extraordinary relationship that SIS had with Her Majesty The Queen.

From her accession to the throne in 1952 Her Majesty was served by fifteen of the seventeen Chiefs of SIS, from Sir Stewart Menzies through to our current Chief, Richard Moore. This made Her Majesty the longest ever reader of SIS intelligence reports, and witness to the evolution of intelligence operations in the modern era. The royal connection goes back further to the first Chief, Sir Mansfield Cumming, who had known the future King George V when they were cadets at the Royal Naval College. Years later, during the First World War, Cumming provided secret briefings at Buckingham Palace.

Her Majesty The Queen maintained close ties with SIS and approached the world of intelligence with curiosity, always showing appreciation and respect for the exceptional dedication of our staff and agents. She was from time to time briefed by Chiefs, in 1996 Sir David Spedding said that he was ‘struck by the extraordinary range and depth of her international problems and by the clear evidence that she reads our intelligence reports with close attention.’

Her Majesty visited our headquarters on several occasions, meeting both staff and agents, and with His Royal Highness Prince Philip, formally opened the Service’s Vauxhall Cross headquarters on 14 July 1994. The Chief at the time, Sir Colin McColl, said that Her Majesty’s participation was ‘a result of The Queen’s personal enthusiasm and interest’. Following the visit, it was reported in correspondence that Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke were ‘fascinated by everything you told them and showed them and their admiration and respect for the efficiency, loyalty and professionalism of the Service was increased immeasurably by the opportunity you gave them to meet so many of your colleagues and hear them describe their work.’

Her Majesty also recognised the sacrifices made in the pursuit of first-class intelligence (CX reports, in our parlance). On the wall of the south cloister of Westminster Abbey is a memorial honouring all members of the various branches of the Intelligence Services of the United Kingdom from 1909. At the dedication service on 14 October 2009, Her Majesty The Queen announced: “To celebrate the gallantry, sacrifice, and heroism of the men and women of the Intelligence Services, I place this plaque in the custody of the Dean and the Chapter…” It is a permanent reminder for all those who visit there.

As Crown Servants we are proud to serve Crown and country. Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II inspired generations of SIS staff with her sense of duty and service. We will honour her and remember her legacy, while supporting His Majesty King Charles III in his duties as our sovereign with selfless commitment and operational elan.

Source: United Kingdom Security Intelligence Service (MI6)

Richard Moore, Chief of the UK Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), has made his first public speech since taking up his role in October 2020. He talked about the seismic changes he sees in the world, specifically in the espionage environment. He discussed China, Russia and Iran, three of the “Big Four” priorities for the intelligence world. He also explained what the UK is doing to address the fourth priority – the amorphous, shape-shifting character of international terrorism.

As part of wider government strategy outlined in the Integrated Review, MI6 is adapting to meet the new threats and challenges that the accelerating pace of technological change now poses. With the shifts in the security landscape and revolutionary advances in technology, the business of espionage has become considerably more challenging.

MI6 has traditionally relied primarily on its own capabilities to develop world class technologies. But, as Richard Moore tells the International Institute for Strategic Studies, mastering human intelligence in the digital age is a national security imperative, and it cannot be done alone. That includes being more open and partnering with the private sector to find new technologies to allow continued mastery of human intelligence in the digital age. 

Critically, the workforce of MI6 needs to be as diverse as the population it serves. Richard Moore says in his speech this means the organisation must be more open and able to continue to attract the very best of British talent.