By SIMON WALTERS Traitor: The diaries of Anthony Blunt, who passed UK secrets to Russia, are to be published The controversy over one of the most notorious spy scandals in British history will be reignited later this year with the publication of the memoirs of Sir Anthony Blunt, the art adviser to the Queen who was exposed as a Russian agent. Blunt's account of his role as the 'fourth man' in the Cambridge spy ring – which included Guy Burgess, Donald Maclean and Kim Philby – will be revealed in July. He died in 1983 and his memoirs were locked up in the British Library the following year, mainly to prevent further embarrassment to others involved in the affair. Now, 25 years later, they are to be published, providing Blunt with the opportunity to give, albeit from beyond the grave, his side of the story. It is bound to lead to speculation about the identities of other Establishment and security figures who knew about his activities, although most are believed to be dead. Blunt was exposed in 1979 when Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher named him in the Commons as a spy after a cover-up that lasted more than a decade. She revealed that Blunt, a former MI5 officer, had confessed to the authorities in 1964, but under a secret deal was granted immunity from prosecution. The downfall of Blunt, who was stripped of his knighthood, came after it was disclosed that he had helped Burgess and Maclean escape to Moscow in 1951. Philby defected to the Soviet Union in 1963. Some experts believe that Blunt's diary may reveal the name of a senior intelligence figure said to have asked him to facilitate Burgess and Maclean's escape. The memoirs are also expected to include a candid account of his friendship with his three co-traitors. A close friend of Blunt, who was gay, said: 'He was hugely fond of Guy Burgess, and loved him in a way, though I am not sure if it was in the physical sense. 'Burgess was an exotic and wild character and Anthony was very attracted to him. 'Anthony could be very self-contained emotionally, but when Burgess died, he wept profusely. 'He disliked Maclean and Philby intensely. He thought both were cruel and cold men who were unpleasant to their wives.' It is not known if Blunt's memoirs will reveal how he felt when he was exposed by Margaret Thatcher. She defied security chiefs who urged her to uphold their long-standing promise to protect him. 'Thatcher named Blunt because it suited her in her fight against the Soviets in the Cold War,' said one former colleague of Blunt. 'Anthony never told me what he thought of Thatcher, but I don't imagine it was very complimentary.'Publication of the diaries of traitor Anthony Blunt 'to name Whitehall supporters'
Last updated at 1:16 AM on 18th January 2009
Sunday, 18 January 2009
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