Former Spook investigated for creativity

Former spy Richard Tomlinson, who famously released an autobiography of his experiences in MI6, is being investigated for writing a Novel which Special Branch believes is in breach of the Official Secrets Act.

Tomlinson's Blog, has been opened up and shut down various times by State Forces. Presently, Tomlinson and an un-named co-author have released what they have so-far written onto Richard's current Blog site. How long it stays up there is anyone's guess.

The state has even gone so far as to have the Treasury Solicitor WRITE to Mr. Tomlinson to remind him of his obligations, as a former spook, of not tattling on his friends.

The State suspects Tomlinson of a number of offenses relating to breaches of the Official Secrets Act, partly in relation to his book "The Big Breach" (which I have a copy of if you need to borrow it) for which he was later convicted. His main crime, is to be prime suspect in the release of names of serving officers in MI6.

Here is the first three lines of Richard's (apparently) debut novel, The Golden Chain:

The bags had been sitting in the corner of the backroom gathering dust for nearly three months. One smart lockable suitcase, too big for cabin luggage, and a black leather grip she had bought in Paris. She never went anywhere without the grip. The shoulder strap had been repaired at the heel bar down the road at least three times to Delaney’s knowledge, but still she would insist.

This clearly IS criminal, but not exactly in the way either Richard or the Special Branch actually consider. Naturally his followers are drooling over this latest twist in Richard's life, which the rest of us are left with the Civil Rights violations and secrecy traditions currently evident in MI6.

This begs a few serious questions, most of which are glaringly obvious, so I won't waste your time by repeating them. Use the comments to bring them up.

I was initially quite suspicious of both Tomlinson, and his MI5 colleague, David Shayler when the both seemed to be poster boys of evidence for corruption against MI5 and Mi6. I buy into the whole secret-police arguments against MI5 & 6, I do, but these two seemed deliciously suspect to me. Take for example Shaylers comments about "plots" against Gadaffi, as well as Tomlinson's assertions about the plot against Diana was an MI6 conspiracy. Am I the only person to think this is all rather... convenient?

Anyway, civil liberties, spookdom... I'm guessing you're expecting a rant about how this is all rather troubling and how they're all bad bad people. Well... they are, but only because they're against Scottish Independence. Personally, I accept that a Scottish State will need an Intelligence Dept. to deal with Organised Crime or foreign powers. Having a conscientious foreign policy clears 90% of threats against you, in my opinion, but typically the second oldest profession does have it's uses.

Clearly the OSA is as archaic as it is barbaric, and the treatment of Tomlinson and Shayler - if they are indeed rogue agents - is reprehensible. So many policies to fix come independence, so little time...