◆ SpookStack

nm BS “Mr. Profumo, the Secretary of State for War. Ivanov had been much samused by their antics. Christine was there. (Ward explained that Christine was the young girl who lived in his house.) Ivanov was undoubtedly attracted by Christine. After the bathing party, Ivanov had taken her back to his (Ward's) house and they had drunk between them two bottles of whisky. Ward elsimed visited him at his London house. The security officer summed up his opinion of Ward in these words: 6. 6. a (iv) The Service think that Mr. Profumo should be Warned 247. The Security Service followed up this information in two ways. First they wanted to get more information about Ward’s establishment and about Christine. So on 31st July, 1961, they asked the Special Branch of the Metropolitan Police to make inquiries. On Sth August, 1961, Special Rranch reported to Security Service that Christine could not be identified and that inquiries revealed nothing to the discredit of Ward. The address was in a respectable neighbourhood where any openly unseemly conduct would soon come to police notice. Secondly, the Security Service thought it would be wise to warn Mr. Profumo to be careful what he said to Ward; because Ward was voluble and indiscreet and might easily pass on to Ivanov any information which Mr. Profumo might let fall. Further, a thought occurred to the Security Service that, perhaps with Mr. Profumo’s help, it might be possible to get Ivanov to defect. Mr. Profumo might be a “lead-in” to Tyanov. The Director-General carefully considered what to do. He felt that 1961, he spoke to Sir Norman Brook about it. Sir Norman was the Secretary of the Cabinet and was in a position to speak to a Minister on it. He did speak to Mr. Profumo (I have dealt with this in ap earlier chapter— paragraphs 33-35). (v) Mr. Profumo is Warmed 248. It has been widely assumed that the Security Service knew that Christine Keeler was having an affair with Mr. Profumo and Captain Ivanov at the same time: that they reported this to Sir Norman Brook; and that their object was that Sir Norman should acquaint Mr. Profumo with the danger in the situation. If the Security Service had had such knowledge 1 should have thought it was one of those matters of extreme delicacy where they might approach the Prime Minister direct: or, if they had reported it to Sir Norman, I would have thought that Sic Norman should have reported it to the Prime Minister. In failing to do so, he would have made a gustake, as Lord Radcliffe said in a television interview. But I am satisfied @at the Security Service did not know that Christine Keeler was having am-aQt wi Mr. Profumo or even with Captain Ivanov. They knew she’ wit: Ward’s mistress in the house, that was all. Their two purposes at f .« were (1) to warn Mr. Profumo to be careful what he said to Stephea Ward, and (2) to see if there was a ‘ lead-in’ to Captain Ivanov. It would hardly seem to need the intervention of the Prime Minister for these purposes. 83 that he and Mr. Profumo were quite close friends and that Mr. Profumo he could hardly approach Mr. Profumo direct on the matter. So on 31st July, . r ~ + “J do not think he is a security risk in the sense that he would intentionafly be disloyal, but his peculiar political beliefs, coupled with his obvious admiration of Ivanov might well cause him to be indiscreet unintentionally.” - oo me, re -