National Archives: Thatcher was desperate to stop Spycatcher publication

[Nearly Sane]

In the time of instant constant news, the release of old papers still has some power. The obvious febrilenesss caused by Spycatcher, one of those  much more bought than read books, was evident at the time. Now it seems quaint.

There is an element of the emperor's new clothes about the belief that our security services are filled with George Smiley's able to see a pragmatic but vituous path. Given the effect pf Philby, Burgess, McLean, and Blunt, and events in Northern Ireland, I think the public had a rather more realistic view than Thatcher credited them with.

 


https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67835095

[jeremyp]

In the time of instant constant news, the release of old papers still has some power. The obvious febrilenesss caused by Spycatcher, one of those  much more bought than read books, was evident at the time. Now it seems quaint.

There is an element of the emperor's new clothes about the belief that our security services are filled with George Smiley's able to see a pragmatic but vituous path. Given the effect pf Philby, Burgess, McLean, and Blunt, and events in Northern Ireland, I think the public had a rather more realistic view than Thatcher credited them with.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-67835095

As it states in the article, the claims were not new.

I think the most important thing about Spycatcher is that it led to the coining of the phrase "economical with the truth".