MI5’s ‘regret’ over burying claims that Thatcher aide was a child abuser
Mi5 spies yesterday expressed ‘regret’ for burying allegations of sexual abuse against one of Margaret thatcher’s closest aides.
the dramatic apology was issued as previously secret letters revealed that the security services decided not to pursue claims that Sir Peter Morrison had a ‘penchant for small boys’.
Despite the seriousness of the allegations, both Mi5 and the Cabinet Office decided that there was ‘little point’ in investigating the tory politician.
the private correspondence, which was revealed at the independent inquiry into Child Sexual abuse, included evidence that Lady thatcher supported her ally after being made aware of the claims. Sir Peter, who was MP for Chester between 1974 and 1992, was a prominent supporter of the tory leader and served as her personal private secretary. the Old etonian died in 1995 aged 51.
Mi5 told the inquiry that any claims about a serving politician potentially abusing children would now immediately be passed to police. a witness speaking on behalf of the agency said: ‘it’s a matter of regret that no consideration was given at the time to the criminal aspects of the matter.
‘if these rumours were in any way true, then ideally they would have been passed to the police so that the police could investigate them.’ the inquiry heard that Sir Peter became the subject of speculation in the mid-1980s over claims that he was arrested at a railway station where he was involved in sexual activity with a minor.
Sir anthony Duff, then Mi5’s director general, first discussed allegations that the MP had illegally solicited sex from minors in January 1986, the year Sir Peter was made deputy tory chairman.
in a letter that November, the spy chief told then Cabinet Secretary, Sir Robert armstrong, that ‘stories about him [Sir Peter] persist’. a memo from a midranking intelligence officer also said: ‘ the Prime Minister was aware of [the matter] and was supporting Peter.’
the inquiry yesterday heard evidence that Mi5 had also received allegations of sexual abuse against the late tory MPs Charles irving and Christopher Chataway, the broadcaster and Olympic athlete.