Michael Hanley - Revision history

Tom Griffin: /* Callaghan era */

2013-12-17T15:15:36Z

Callaghan era

Tom Griffin: /* Callaghan era */

2013-12-17T15:14:28Z

Callaghan era

Tom Griffin: bio details

2013-12-07T06:20:44Z

bio details

Tom Griffin: Wilson plot

2009-10-08T00:17:11Z

Wilson plot

Tom Griffin: /* Worthington File */

2009-10-05T01:52:36Z

Worthington File

Tom Griffin: Worthington file

2009-10-05T01:50:00Z

Worthington file

Tom Griffin: started a page

2009-07-02T01:51:01Z

started a page

New page

[[Image:MichaelHanley.jpg|thumb|right|Michael Hanley<br><i>© Crown Copyright 2007</i>]]
Sir [[Michael Hanley]] (1918-2001) was head of the [[Security Service]] MI5 from 1972 to 1978.<ref>[http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/former-dgs.html Former Directors General], MI5, accessed 30 June 2009.</ref>

==Notes==
<references/>

[[Category:Spooks|Hanley, Michael]][[Category:MI5|Hanley, Michael]]

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 The ''Observer'' reported on 17 July 1977 that Hanley had admitted there was a 'disaffected faction' within the Security Service at a meeting with Harold Wilson in 1977. Hanley briefed [[Merlyn Rees]] and Callaghan on the allegations on 3 August 1977. Callaghan was particularly concerned that Wilson might reveal the investigation of [[Roger Hollis]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.639-640.</ref>
-Callaghan's poor relations with Hanley influenced his decision to appoint an outsider, [[Howard Smith]], as his successor on 19 December 1977. Hanley insisted on appointing several directors before his departure. He also secured a meeting with opposition leader [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.552-553.</ref>
+Callaghan's poor relations with Hanley influenced his decision to appoint an outsider, [[Howard Smith]], as his successor on 19 December 1977. Hanley insisted on appointing several directors before his departure. He also secured an unprecedented meeting with opposition leader [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.552-553.</ref>
 Christopher Andrew cited [[Home Office]] files recording Hanley's opinion of his successor:
-::Sir Howard Smith was by reputation a weak man, an appeaser. When he had been head of the former Northern Department of the FCO, he had done nothing to respond to the Service's warnings about the expansion of Soviet and satellite espionage. Similarly, during his time in Northern Ireland, Sir Howard Smith had been too ingratiating towards the minority community and acquired a reputation for spending more time with the Cardinal than anyone else.<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.553.</ref>
+::Sir Howard Smith was by reputation a weak man, an appeaser. When he had been head of the former Northern Department of the FCO, he had done nothing to respond to the Service's warnings about the expansion of Soviet and satellite espionage. Similarly, during his time in Northern Ireland, Sir Howard Smith had been too ingratiating towards the minority community and acquired a reputation for spending more time with the Cardinal than anyone else.<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, p.553.</ref>
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 57: / Line 57: @@
 The ''Observer'' reported on 17 July 1977 that Hanley had admitted there was a 'disaffected faction' within the Security Service at a meeting with Harold Wilson in 1977. Hanley briefed [[Merlyn Rees]] and Callaghan on the allegations on 3 August 1977. Callaghan was particularly concerned that Wilson might reveal the investigation of [[Roger Hollis]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.639-640.</ref>
-Callaghan's poor relations with Hanley influenced his decision to appoint an outsider, [[Howard Smith]], as his successor on 19 December 1977. Hanley insisted on appointing several directors before his departure. He also secured a meeting with opposition leader [[Margaret Thatcher]]. Hanley regarded Smith as an 'appeaser' in his dealings with the Soviet Union and in Northern Ireland.<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.552-553.</ref>
+Callaghan's poor relations with Hanley influenced his decision to appoint an outsider, [[Howard Smith]], as his successor on 19 December 1977. Hanley insisted on appointing several directors before his departure. He also secured a meeting with opposition leader [[Margaret Thatcher]].<ref>Christopher Andrew, ''Defence of the Realm, The Authorized History of MI5'', Allen Lane, 2009, pp.552-553.</ref>
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 2: / Line 2: @@
 Sir [[Michael Hanley]] (1918-2001) was head of the [[Security Service]] MI5 from 1972 to 1978.<ref>[http://www.mi5.gov.uk/output/former-dgs.html Former Directors General], MI5, accessed 30 June 2009.</ref>
-==Worthington File==
+==Director, C Branch==
 According to a 2009 account by the official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Hanley concealed the existence of a file on Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]], held under the pseudonym 'Norman John Worthington' by removing it from the central index.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8288247.stm MI5 kept file on former PM Wilson], BBC News, 3 October 2009.</ref>
@@ Line 11: / Line 39: @@
 :: “In March 1974, the DG instructed that the card referring to the file should be removed from the Registry Central Index, with the result that ‘a look-up on Harold Wilson would therefore be No Trace’.” Access to the file required the personal permission of Sir Michael.<ref>Michael Evans, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6859487.ece Harold Wilson's KGB contacts made him an MI5 suspect], The Times, 3 October 2009.</ref>
-==Wilson Plot==
+===Northern Ireland===
 Andrew's official history of MI5 rejects claims there was a plot against Wilson during Hanley's tenure.<ref>Michael Evans, [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/politics/article6859487.ece Harold Wilson's KGB contacts made him an MI5 suspect], The Times, 3 October 2009.</ref>
 However, journalist David Leigh records that Wilson called in Hanley in August 1975, saying that he had been told by [[MI6]] chief [[Maurice Oldfield]] that there was an unreliable element in MI5.
 ::The present British government has tried to pretend that this conversation never took place. But [[Barrie Penrose|Penrose]] and [[Chapman Pincher|Pincher]], two journalists from different political sides, both testify that it did. Penrose tape-recorded Wilson saying that Hanley had confirmed there was a 'problem' with some officers, but that it had all been dealt with by him. Pincher testifies: 'Wilson .. told me personally... that Hanley had replied that he believed this to be true, but that only a handful of officers were concerned.' This seems good enough testimony to concluded that the Prime Minister of Britain was not telling lies...<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, Mandarin, 1989, p.250.</ref>
 ==Notes==

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 ==Worthington File==
-According to a 2009 account the official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Hanley concealed the existence of a file on Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]], held under the pseudonym 'Norman John Worthington' by removing it from the central index.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8288247.stm MI5 kept file on former PM Wilson], BBC News, 3 October 2009.</ref>
+According to a 2009 account by the official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Hanley concealed the existence of a file on Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]], held under the pseudonym 'Norman John Worthington' by removing it from the central index.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8288247.stm MI5 kept file on former PM Wilson], BBC News, 3 October 2009.</ref>
 An earlier account by David Leigh described the document as the 'Henry Worthington' file:
 ::The Worthington file was not kept in the main registry to be handled by the scores of 'registry queens'. Nor was it kept in the rows of locked 'y-boxes' in the K6 secret registry, along with the identities of agents. It was kept permanently in the safe of Director-General [[Martin Furnival Jones]], a practice which was continued by his successor [[Michael Hanley]].<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, 1989, Mandarin,  p.109.</ref>
 ==Notes==

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 According to a 2009 account the official [[MI5]] historian [[Christopher Andrew]], Hanley concealed the existence of a file on Prime Minister [[Harold Wilson]], held under the pseudonym 'Norman John Worthington' by removing it from the central index.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8288247.stm MI5 kept file on former PM Wilson], BBC News, 3 October 2009.</ref>
-An earlier accounted by David Leigh described the document as the 'Henry Worthington' file:
+An earlier account by David Leigh described the document as the 'Henry Worthington' file:
 ::The Worthington file was not kept in the main registry to be handled by the scores of 'registry queens'. Nor was it kept in the rows of locked 'y-boxes' in the K6 secret registry, along with the identities of agents. It was kept permanently in the safe of Director-General [[Martin Furnival Jones]], a practice which was continued by his successor [[Michael Hanley]].<ref>David Leigh, The Wilson Plot, 1989, Mandarin,  p.109.</ref>
 ==Notes==