(Commonwealth_Europe) On January 14, 2025, the British National Archives released a trove of previously top-secret MI5 files that reveal first-hand accounts and confessions from three of Britain’s most infamous double agents: Kim Philby, Anthony Blunt, and other members of the notorious “Ring of Five.” These individuals, integral to espionage efforts on behalf of the Soviet Union during the 1930s through the 1950s, played pivotal roles in passing classified information to Moscow while working within the heart of Britain’s intelligence agencies.
Among the newly declassified documents are details of the investigations into the Cambridge Five, a secretive group of former Cambridge University students who collaborated with Soviet intelligence. This group—comprising Philby, Blunt, Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean, and John Cairncross—became infamous for betraying their country’s secrets during and after World War II. Their covert activities captivated the public imagination, inspiring many spy novels and films over the years.
One of the most notable pieces of the release is an incomplete six-page confession from 1963 by Kim Philby, widely regarded as the leader of the Cambridge Five and a senior officer in MI6, the United Kingdom’s foreign intelligence service. In this confession, Philby admitted to his long-held treason after years of being suspected of espionage. He described his first meeting with a Soviet agent named “Otto” in 1934, who approached him at the behest of his wife, Lizzy, a Communist Party member. Philby writes that he was initially interrogated by Otto and, after a lengthy conversation, ultimately agreed to work for the Soviet secret police, known as the OGPU, which would later become the KGB.
Philby went on to detail how he helped recruit fellow spies Guy Burgess and Donald Maclean. In his account, he also described how he tipped off Maclean when the authorities were closing in on him in 1951, leading both men to defect to the Soviet Union. Shortly after confessing in 1963, Philby himself fled to Moscow, where he was welcomed and given a place of honor. In 2010, a plaque was erected in his memory at the headquarters of Russia’s foreign intelligence service, a testament to the high regard in which he was held by the Soviet authorities.
The newly released files also shed light on the activities of Anthony Blunt, who served as a prominent art adviser to Queen Elizabeth II. Blunt, who was not publicly identified as a Soviet agent until 1979, confessed his espionage activities in a 1964 interview with MI5 officer Arthur Martin. In exchange for immunity from prosecution, Blunt admitted to passing secrets to Soviet intelligence while working at the heart of Britain’s establishment. The documents further reveal that Blunt’s involvement was a matter of discussion within the royal family. In one note from 1973, it was revealed that the Queen had been briefed about Blunt’s betrayal and, according to the note, “took it all very calmly and without surprise.”
John Cairncross, the final member of the Cambridge Five to be publicly named, is also discussed in the newly released files. Cairncross, who had fled to the United States, admitted in 1964 to MI5 that he had been working for Soviet intelligence from 1936 until 1951. The telegram from MI5 in Washington confirms that Cairncross’s espionage activities spanned the critical years during and after World War II.
These revelations are part of a broader release of MI5’s historical files, including documents spanning from the agency’s early years in 1909 through the 1970s. In addition to the spy ring’s confessions, the newly declassified records also highlight MI5’s surveillance activities on various individuals of interest during the Cold War. Notably, there are files on actor Dirk Bogarde, who was suspected of being approached by Soviet intelligence services. However, after an MI5 interview, suspicions were dismissed. There is also a curious booklet from the early 1940s, which offered practical advice on surveillance techniques for MI5 officers. It humorously cautioned against the use of facial disguises, stating that false mustaches or beards were often easily detected in public spaces like restaurants or on subway trains.
The declassified files and their contents will be part of a special exhibition at the National Archives, titled “MI5: Official Secrets.” The exhibition will feature case files, photographs, documents, and tools used by MI5 agents during their long history. In a statement, current MI5 chief Ken McCallum expressed the agency’s commitment to transparency, saying, “While much of our work must remain secret, this exhibition reflects our ongoing commitment to being open wherever we can.”
The release of these historic documents provides an unprecedented glimpse into the shadowy world of espionage and the complicated lives of those who betrayed their country for ideological or personal reasons. The Cambridge Five remain one of the most fascinating and enduring mysteries in modern British history, and the newly available files offer fresh insights into their activities, motivations, and the extent of their deception.
