Information Research Department
The Information Research Department, founded in 1946 was a covert anti-communist propaganda unit within the U.K. Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
John Rennie, who subsequently served as head of MI6, was head of the department between 1953 and 1958.
The department was closed down by then Foreign Secretary, David Owen, in 1977. The last head of the IRD was Ray Whitney, later a Conservative Party member of parliament and junior minister.
Resources
What is Communism? By a Student of Affairs, Background Books, London: Batchworth Press, 1951 (covert product of the Information Research Department of the Foreign Office - This copy used to belong to the Economic League (Central Council) Information and Research Departments, whose stamp can be seen on the inside title page.)
External links
- David Leigh, "Death of the department that never was", Guardian (UK), January 27, 1978, page 13.
- Ups and downs of a maverick, book review from The Spectator'
